Samurai Phantom Rekka: Chapter One
by BEAFSTAKES
Summary: YST AU. A Jr. High orphan named Ryo Sanada was destined to save the world ala-CCS, KKJ, Sailor Moon and St. Tail. Appointed by a TALKING white striped CAT named Byakkouen, the adventure starts here. FINISHED! Please keep on R&R!
1. Prologue: Not Again

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Prologue: Not Again...**

It was 400 years after the Legendary Samurai named Kaos sealed all the so-called 100 Onis and all put in a medium-sized semi-jeweled golden box. The Cursed Box, which it was popularly known, was kept safely in a little shrine in a dense forest northeast of Japan, so that it would bring no harm to anything or anyone ever again.

Kaos, along with his loyal companion, a white Siberian tiger, had received immortality from the higher deities because of their undisputed victory with Arago, the demon samurai and overlord of the Evil Dynasty who created the onis. After years of struggle and triumph, the Legendary Samurai finally decided to retire to be a wandering monk since 400 years the Mortal World had experience peace and tranquility.

A year later, his last descendant, the beautiful priestess Kayura, was sent to the dense forest where the Cursed Box was kept for years to cleanse it as its final ritual in order for all the onis to be put in eternal sleep. The high priests and Kaos warned her NOT to open it or it will cause another chaos. Kayura, still in-training to be a priestess, has no knowledge of the past about Arago nor the onis to keep her safe and also for the good of mankind, but still proceeded to the ritual. Together with five high priests, they went to the forest where the shrine of the Cursed Box is stationed. Kaos didn't join them for he was at the middle of patrolling with his pet tiger.

Upon entering the shrine, she felt a strange, yet powerful aura luring her to come to the site of the box closer. Upon seeing the box at its most protective state, the aura lured her more to touch it, but she tried to overcome the temptation to OPEN the box. The ritual began with a sacred chant. At first, she tried to control herself against temptation through concentration and Kaos' words, but...

_Open it... _a soft, enchanting voice of a woman echoed in the ceremonial wall where no one could hear except her, _Open it, Kayura... and a beautiful future shall be yours..._

"...A beautiful future...?", Kayura still in hesitation, "But Kaos has just..."

_What's wrong in the box, then? _The voice asked in more alluring tone, _Tell me..._ _Did your Great Ancestor told you not to open the box?_

"Well..." seemed ignorant of the real reason, "He didn't... Not yet..."

_Not yet?_

"He promised me to tell everything after the ceremony... I'm sorry, but I have to..."

_Why do you think he didn't tell you in the first place?_

Kayura paused wide-eyed. The voice was right. Why is it that he doesn't want to tell her about it earlier? Even the high priests were silent for the truth. Is this a way to protect her from anything that might happen? Or maybe because...

_Is it because... _the voice again, _They DON'T trust you?_

Kayura's face turned into disbelief. Seemed in shocked about what the voice had told her, "It's... a lie, isn't it?"

_If it is a lie, _it replied, _then I will not tell you about it..._

"STOP IT!" and she cupped her ears as shut as she could to make sure that she wouldn't hear any 'lies' again. "It's a lie! Go away! You're distracting the ritual!"

_I am not here to distract you... I am here to save you..._

"Save me?"

_Yes. Save you. From lies._

"But you're the one who's lying!"

_No! It's Kaos who is lying!_

A pause.

It almost took her breath away: a lie, maybe a truth, like a poison stucked and penetrated both her body and mind. A lie, or truth, that will forever be contaminated into her heart.

She tried to act like deaf, the best she could, but it seemed that the mysterious tempting voice was much louder than hers that almost boxed her ears out.

"Why did you say so?" she tried her best to keep herself calm.

_Because THAT is the truth._

"And who are you to urge me to do something that is against my ancestor?"

A short silence followed. _Who am I?_

"Answer me!" in a demanding tone.

Followed by a soft, yet devilish giggle, the priestess was left puzzled.

"Anything funny?" almost in her angry tone.

_Your question..._ _A funny question... _and continued to laugh.

"And what is so funny about my question?"

Finally the mysterious voice ceased its laughter. _...Do you REALLY want to see me, priestess?_

"What is the use of my question if you don't answer directly?"

_Oh, pardon me... _after some thought; _You can only see me... only IF you open the box..._

"Is this sort of a BLACKMAIL?"

_Yes... and no._

"Yes and no? What..."

_Yes, because you must so. You are the only one who could open the box through your will power. No... because the box is the only answer behind Kaos' secret... and of course... in order for you to see me..._

"...Is there... any other way..."

_There's no other way, my dear._

"Then..."

_Don't be afraid, Kayura... Open it..._

"I..."

_Open it... it's for your own good..._

"I..."

Her daintily hand, almost been controlled by an evil-handed demon... Her fingertips were almost touching the red semi-precious stones, the eyes of an evil dragon, in the Cursed Box. Her hesitation and the temptation were fighting on her head, but her quizzical face would never determine both of these emotions. It has seemed that her whole body has now being controlled by the voice, itself, just to get what it wanted.

_Do it, Kayura... Do it... NOW!!!_

-----

Kaos opened his eyes all of a sudden.

He was in the middle of his training: cleansing all the negative thoughts while in the rushing falls of the forest, until a negative aura had been intervened his work.

The white tiger suddenly got up after a doze and grumbled as if he had felt something—something that its master also felt.

"I know..." he answered to his tiger, looking straight to the distance where the young priestess and the high priests previously doing the rites.

"It's no good. I know this will happen... Let's go!" and jumped along the rocks as his loyal pet followed him to... the would-be rendezvous of the nearing chaos.

-----

Minutes... seconds... time left to stop the return of evil, and Kaos, with his full speed, was not so sure if he would be able to make it on time... before Kayura would finally do it, and the strange voice will finally succeed.

_Open it... Kayura..._

A mile before reaching the shrine... Kaos, though already on his full speed, was still worried that he might not make it on time. A mile will take an hour or two by foot, and he, who believed to have the speed of a cheetah, can do that bay an hour or less. But for him...

_It's still not enough! _Still panting with his speed, _I should have not let her go there in the first place!_

But time is soon elapsing...

Kayura's hand was now halfway to the box. The voice was still urging her to open it. And there was no enough time to lose.

Kaos' foot was already set in the shrine's territory and the negative aura went stronger as he drew near. The white tiger's snowy face turned into a cold, vicious one as soon as they had entered the shrine.

"What is it, boy?" after he had seen it running to a location where Kayura was with the box, he followed the animal.

-----

Seconds left.

Kayura's hesitation slowly dying out and her eagerness to find all the answers lightened up. She cannot hear the voice any longer, but her will has decided to continue, a decision that will change the face of the earth after this nearing danger.

Slowly, with her own hands, she opened the golden lid. A burst of purple aura escaped from its imprisonment and...

PPHHHHHHVVVVVVVVV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

One of the priests immediately responded to the tremendor of the room. All outside the sacred room were in panic. Kaos and the tiger had also heard it, "And this is what I'm worrying for...", and like a lightning...

"KAYURA!!!!!"

-----

The priest entered the room to check what was happening... but it has seemed like...

"Gods..."

The fallen box remained open, letting all the 100 Onis escape to find new ways to penetrate the light that filters upon the earth. And Kayura...

Purple light scattered all over the room, a fearing aura for the priests in the shrine. One of them even tried to get the priestess out of the room, now being cursed due to temptation.

"Lady Kayura!", he called, "Are you all..."

"...Right...?" the priest's eyes widened in shock, almost popped out, when he saw Kayura... no, not already in her old red and white ceremonial gown. The evil aura burned it out, and it created a warrior-type outfit: a skintight tube top protected by semi-bronze breastplate, dark purple high boots and golden ceremonial necklace. The silk top was tied in her right shoulder to match her feminine perspective. At her back was a pair of jitte, two ninja blades.

...An amazon she was been turned into!

"Lady... Kayura..."

She turned to the trembling priest as s response. To his terrible surprise: the innocent and angelic face once she wore has worn off and put a mask of great beauty... and evil. The red eyeshadow and her long flowing black hair tied in red silk had determined her transformation.

But the priest didn't mind her new form, still hoping that the young, sweet Lady Kayura is still there, just that she had changed her appearance.

"Lady... Kayura... are you..."

Her answer?

SWISH!

The sound of her blade ended the life of the priest. She turned around fully to see the lifeless priest she had just recently killed. The other four were still protecting themselves from the escaping oni auras.

And as expected... Kaos came TOO late.

"Kayura..." his voice retained his calmness although his eyes were shocked. She turned to her ancestor in reply—with a devilish little grin. But still he remained composed as if she is still the Kayura he used to know and protected. Walking slowly towards her, "Have I told you NOT to open the cursed box?"

A stare to him was her reply as her evil smile died out suddenly.

"You disobeyed me... It seems that you are not ready yet for your responsibility..."

But as soon as he was close to her, Kayura wielded her jitte in a flash and aimed at her own ancestor's throat!

"And just who ARE you to tell me those things?" she hissed.

With her voice once angelic, Kaos found out that she was possessed by one of the 100 Onis, but he cannot actually tell which of them did it.

"It seems that you already knew..." and she took away her weapon away from his throat, "But do you think I had tried my best to overcome it? Wrong! In fact, believe it or not... since in the beginning I was longing for this absolute power; the reason why in the first place you don't want me to open the box..."

"Now that you had opened it... soon the whole world will be under the onis' power. Don't you ever realize the consequences?"

"How could I know about the consequences, you didn't tell me anything in the first place?"

"Because I don't want you to be a part of my problem! That will cause you..."

"Enough, LIAR! You say that because you want this power as your own!"

"That will only cause you pain!"

"Heh, too bad... you cannot have it. Absolute power is all MINE!"

"KAYURA!!!"

Drawing her jitte once more, she emitted a purple negative aura from it and pointed against Kaos and the tiger. But before it could reach them, he was able to shield himself and the animal using his ceremonial staff. It created a spiritual barrier strong enough to hold the opposing force. But in his mind, he knew that t would never be enough.

"Kayura!" with plea, while on the shield, "Open your eyes!"

"What do you mean 'open my eyes'?" she roared as she emitted more power from her weapon, "Whoever must open his eyes, it would definitely be YOU! Can't you see?... This power... the feeling... this is what I called absolute power! And for this I can do anything! No one can ever stop me! Not even YOU!"

"That's foolishness!" unluckily, the spiritual shield was losing its energy due to the great force of Kayura's negative aura, "Kayura! You don't understand anything! Open your eyes to the truth!"

"It's YOU who doesn't understand!" accompanied by her evil laughter, Kayura's power grew stronger almost winning against her ancestor's, "Can't you still see it, Kaos? I AM NOW MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU! So powerful that I can destroy anything that will cross my way!"

The other oni spirits from the box were still escaping, finding a way to get out and spread out. Three of them had already entered into the three other priests jerked with pain. The other, with long, flowing reddish-brown hair, tried to get up in order to 'save' the possessed priestess.

"Lady Kayura..." his green eyes, where in disbelief, affixed into the priestess' new image. But unmindful of whom she is now, he ran unto her and hugged her tight. "My Lady..." he begged, "Please... get hold of yourself..."

Kayura felt uneasiness from behind her, "You... imprudent fool!" she struggled, "Don't touch me!!!"

"I'm begging you, my lady..." he held her tighter, "Calm yourself!"

"Don't command me like you're stronger than me!" she continued to struggle. But the young priest didn't listen just to bring her back to herself.

Seeing all the commotion in the sacred shrine, Kaos felt guilt to himself. This is the first time since his battle with Arago started, that he felt so sorry for what was happening. It's his entire fault, he thought. Have he told Kayura about it in the first place, she would not be as she is now. And now, what he was frightening for is that...

"I think, Byakkouen" he told his tiger, "After 400 years, it will happen again..."

Byakkouen, the white tiger, whined at his frustrated master, the first time since 400 years he became like that, seemed that he wanted to ask what Kaos will do now.

"Yes, I know..." his eyes cannot focus already at his suffering descendant, stopping by one of the high priests. Until something had crossed his mind: A hard decision that would might cause of losing his own power and even... his immortality. But if this is the only way...

"I have no choice..." in an almost-thought whisper. Byakkouen turned to him in awe and looked like he had read his master's mind. So worried he went closer to him, but he gave the tiger some encouragement, "Byakkouen... we must be ready for what will happen... Whatever will happen to me... I want you to continue the mission..."

The once frightening tiger eyes became like those of a domesticated cat when he had heard his master's will.

-----

Kayura continued to struggle against the priest. Her powers went down mad due to extreme anger.

"You... damned fool!!!" as she thrusted her sword to the priest's stomach! Blood sprang on the place. Kaos was in steady shock. The priest, still breathing, still didn't let go of her. The evil priestess smiled without a heart, "That serves right for fools like you!"

Kaos, the Legendary Samurai, cannot believe in his own eyes: the angelic little pristess loved by everyone in the forest, now being damned with an unlikable spirit to force her to kill. Though the priest was still catching his breath, sooner or later his time will be expired. And the hardest part of it: another oni spirit had entered into its final victim: the reddish brown-haired priest, as his final breath!

After 400 years, Kaos felt his energy bursting in anger and disbelief; quite different from the aura he used on Arago a long time ago. And it turned worse when he had heard Kayura's laughter--a more possessed, more bloodthirsty one. Grasping his staff so tight, and the tiger was now ready to tore her up into chunks, unmindful that Kayura was once a simple, kindhearted girl.

"Kayura, please..." his calm voice now bursted into anger, "DON'T FORCE ME TO DO THIS!!!" and he really ahd done it: He attacked his own blood!

"Bring it on, Kaos!" Kayura invited, now her innocence had completely vanished by evil, "Prove to me if you are still worthy to be called the most powerful samurai!"

"ENOUGH!"

KLANK!

Using her twin jitte, she tried to overcome Kaos' staff to have a chance to destroy his protection. Positive and negative auras were bursting out and moving freely inside the shrine, as one by one the onis were escaping from the cursed box. And they were only fet of them left to escape.

"Kayura..." still struggling, "If this is... the only way... to stop you... Then, I will give everything I've got! Just to stop the onis from escaping!"

"You are too late, Kaos..." her grinning face didn't fade, "As soon as all of them went out of the box, it will be my duty now to revive them... to revive Master Arago!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY???"

Master... Arago?

He cannot believe in his ears. Kayura actually uttered Arago's name with full respect! Is it really too late for him to bring her back?

He thought so.

Everything turned out worse. And he really had no choice... even it will cause his immortality and power, to stop this nonesense.

"Kayura..." and for the first time, even an immortal shed a tear for his sympathy, "...Forgive me..."

A flash of light followed by their screams and shouts completed the deafening silence.

-----

The chirping of the birds... the swaying of the bamboos... the gushing of running water... the whisper of the gentle wind... all of these sounds filled the silence created by the aftermath of short chaos.

The whole shrine had collapsed, the roof was crushed almost into powder and the wall were full of large holes, leaving the shocked Kaos on bended knees. Byakkouen rushed unto his aid.

"It's over... I lost..."

The tiger purred with pity as it went close to his 'defeated' master. Kaos replied with a pat on Byakkouen's head. "Yes my friend... we're lost..."

Looking at the tiger's innocent eyes, it seemeed that he wanted to say something. But he is just a big cat. How could he talk in human language, although Kaos understood each purr and roar he utter since they were friends and allies for 400 years?

"But..." he tried to stand up with the help of his staff, "There's still hope... I guess..."

The tiger gazed with wonder.

"Yes... although it will not be easy..."

In his worried face, Byakkouen realized what Kaos will do. "I cannot believe... I will do this... after so many years..." The tiger purred and whined with great anxiety in his heart. "I know this will be hard... But Byakkouen, listen to me..." the tiger glanced at him, "I am now assigning you on finding them..."

Them?

"I know that it will not be easy for you to find and destroy all the 100 onis by yourself... So I will send the diffused powers of Arago in order for you to follow..."

Diffused powers? The tiger's face showed disbelief as if he had understood it. The diffused powers Kaos was talking about were Arago's main power from his protective armor that had been divided into different subpowers Kaos divided with is own power to diffuse evil 400 years ago. But what does he exactly mean?

"Follow them... wherever they will go..." as the staff has started to emit some energy to be released, "...and guard them as you could... Whoever will receive them... guide them will all you know... These subpowers will choose someone with heart of a real samurai--one that has the will and strength to defend the future of the earth..."

Byakkouen shook up and purred as if he wanted to produce tears.

"And as for me..." the emitted energy was divided into nine different colors, each bearing a subpower came from once Arago's power armor now diffused by Kaos' own power, thus now protected by holy light. As it was done, his hand shook due to lost of so much energy. "I am leaving you... with great responsibility... I'm begging you... Hurry up... before it's too late..."

And Kaos touched Byakkouen's massive neck and started to emit his final energy unto his companion. The tiger felt warmth upon his master's hands. This might sound queer, but the tiger managed to to produce tears and purred; a phenomenon that was very hard to believe that even a fierce, gallant tiger can cry as humans do.

"I know what you feel, my friend..." his voice went hoarse, "But come to think of it... you will serve as a bridge to unite the subpowers... Follow them... and do as I say..."

Byakkouen tried to open his mouth and purr, but what wonder is this? Instead of a typical tiger purr, he uttered...

"...M...Ma...Mas...ter..."

Even Byakkouen was surprised to himself: He can talk! Is this the result from thre remaining powers that Kaos gave unselfishly to him?

"You see, Byakkouen?" and Kaos gave a faint smile, "I have give you an ability which only the purest of hearts can understand you... Use this gift as I order you to do... Be careful with it... And don't worry... forever... I will watch over you... and your soon-to-be-appointed... Samurai... Phantoms..."

"Samu...rai... Phantoms..."

"Only the night will be their abode... and the moon will be their witness...to save the world secretly... by retrieving... and destroying all the 100 onis to eternal slumber... There is no use if we put them temporarilly into sleep again... It will just cause another havoc if someone will open it again..."

Byakkouen purred sadly.

"And this..." he still had a few energy left to create a small thing in his hand: a glimmering little silver box, "Use this... to bring them back... with this... they will never... ever... escape..."

The tiger took the box by his mouth.

"Well..." his voice was starting to die out, "...I guess... it's all up for the appointed ones to tackle over it... and this I assure you: Arago... will never... ever... come back again..."

As he uttered his final word, he was slowly disappearing. Byakkouen purred with plea not to leave him. But at the same time, the tiger felt lightness in his body. He felt himself floating in the ball of light, puzzled by the phenomenon occuring.

"Don't fear, Byakkouen..." Kaos' final blessing, "I'm... always... with you..."

...And in a blink of light, he disappeared... shortly.

"MASTER KAOS!!!"

A ball of light, where the tiger was inside, turned smaller and was teleported far away from the forest. Destiny only knows where he would be taken. As for the the Legendary Samurai, he went gone as smoke fron the destroyed shrine fainted away, never seen again... So was Kayura and the four priests, who went missing mysteriously after been damned by evil. Wherever they went today, surely fate will answer...

-----

The 100 onis then, scatters over Japan in form of a meteor shower. A meteor shower in the mid-morning? But because it was morning, it is invisible to the naked eye. No one in the entire country had noticed it, except for a young boy of thirteen who, within his tiger-blue eyes, had seen CLEARLY... the most beautiful meteor shower he had ever seen since he was a child. But it was very peculiar then to see this phenomenon in the morning without any news from NASA.

"But... how come?" in his puzzled look.

Until...

"SANADA!!!"

"YIKES!"

The fat guy teacher caught him again looking at the window, "Daydreaming again?"

Surprised, he fixed himself to be ready to listen to the discussion.

_...And everything happened just a year ago..._

_-----_

_(Damn! I've rewritten my Prologue due to so many typographical errors! I'm really sorry, guys, it's my first time after all! No flaming please! And please R&R! Thanks!)_


	2. Episode One: The Poor Raven Boy

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode One: THE POOR RAVEN BOY**

KKKRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The sound of the alarm clock doesn't seem so alarming for the raven-haired sleepyhead. He just snuggled into his scarlet blanket with designs of faces of cute, little tiger cubs.

KKKRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It continued to wake him up. Maybe he felt so sleepy yesterday evening due to his assignment or his favorite late night T.V. show. The alarm clock almost danced because of the noise...

At last he fussed off. Tapping his upper bed desk to the alarm clock with his left hand, he picked it up, still ringing. Slowly he opened his eyes to see the time. Though half-closed, he could clearly see the big hand on number twelve and the small one on number seven.

It's seven o' clock.

"HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!"

And due to being surprised at the time, he tossed the clock away, OUCH... it broke.

He quickly got up, not fixing his bed, dressed up, tossed his dirty clothes and put on his blue gray school uniform, fixing his things but got messed up by smudging black ink of his last year's ballpen, ate his leftover rice ceke from the refrigerator for breakfast, and finally went out of his two-storey old-fashioned house without locking the door nor the gate.

But it's still seven-twenty and yet in a hurry? Isn't that class hours starts supposedly eight? Yeah, he has the right to be in a rush. He just have to come to school by foot--just a good NINE KILOMETERS before reaching it.

NINE KILOMETERS AWAY FROM HOME? How about taking a taxi? He wanted to, but for him his allowance is not enough for a taxi ride. After all, walking is a good exercise for him. He even don't have time to keep some money for a bike. Most of his allowance would be just good enough only for his daily needs and yet he never had a bike for a birthday present. They were not that rich, anyway. Included also is that he lives in the house ALONE. His grandparents from Yamanashi were the ones supporting his education and his daily expenses. Both of his parents were dead since he was still a child.

Nine kilometers. And by now if he started running from 7:20, then he will be there by nine. He almost missed two class periods!

And it's not just the first time. For five times last year it was already happened to him. And the only reasons were either his English assignment which was his waterloo, or his favorite soccer game airing on television during late night especially if his favorite team is on the tube. For he, himself, too, is a soccer player of their school varsity soccer team.

His reason this time: the soccer game again. And it was his team who was there. He would surely never miss a game like that on T.V. that's why he overslept.

He prefered to run since it's faster. He even took a shortcut to make it easier. For that, he easily reached Hana Junior High School in almost an hour!

But still he's late.

-----

_(This is the first episode of Chapter One. Please read and review! Sorry for the misplacements!)_


	3. Episode Two: The Latecomer?

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Two: THE LATECOMER?**

The sound of the school bell proved that he is already two minutes late and he even didn't reached the open gate now closed at the exact time. "Man... not again!"

But then he got an idea--that is AGAINST the school policies and HIS will.

He looked around and nobody's looking. There is no one also inside to watch the gate. So though it's against his will, just to finish his schooling, he jumped high above the walls and he was able to sneak inside!

He gave a heavy sigh after that, felling guity for what he had done--again. And he ran to the building without no one noticing him, for almost all the students are already inside for the first period.

Hana Junior High School is just your ordinary school in Toyama. So called since its area is full of variety of flowers, and the cherry blossoms, of course, are the most abundant. Like any Japanese schools, boys in junior high usually wear either black, gray, dark blue or blue gray turtleneck buttoned uniform and girls usually wear a sailor style outfit which the color depends on the school custom. In the case of this school, boys wear blue gray uniform and girls wear a sailor suit with blue collar and skirt which is above the knee, accentuated with a big red ribbon in front. Both bear the symbol of their school--a five-petalled cherry blossom sewed in the boys' collar and in the girls' ribbon.

The raven-haired kid, who didn't have time to button his uniform (thus showed his favorite red t-shirt inside), was already in the corridor of the third floor there the eight-graders are stationed. No one even a single student can be seen strolling around the corridor, not even one teacher nor the faculty adviser nor the principal. He gulped to himself that their teacher might already inside the classroom for a new lesson. Worse, he might see him and he will be staying outside. So he hurried up to his room.

He almost panted when, at last, reached his classroom 2-B. Feared that the teacher might see him, he slowly opened the sliding door and tiptoed to his seat in the third row in the third line (so obvious to be seen by a teacher roaming around the room!) Hoping that his teacher wouldn't notice him entered the room, when...

"Hey, Ryo!"

"AACK!"

He was caught! It's the end of him! He hurriedly stood up, closed his eyes and apologized with sweatdrop! "I'm sorry, Sir! I didn't notice the time! I was doin' my homework last night, that's why I..."

Everyone looked at him puzzled.

"Hey-hey-hey, man...!" the voice of a midget boy quite irritated, "You sounded like a machine gun!"

He kept on bowing and bowing for apology, unmindful of his aching back, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry..."

"Hey, Ryo..." one big voice boomed out, "Cut it out, will ya?"

Finally he stopped. Realizing that it was not the reserved but powerful voice of his teacher, he lifted up his head and jerked up upon seeing...

"J-Ju-Jumbo...?"

And the big boy named Jumbo just laughed so hard for an answer! "Man! You thought I'm Mr. Kuboka! Wow! I just wish for that!"

Everyone laughed at him, escept for a chocolate-skinned girl quite serious, approaching him.

"And just whoddoya think you say sorry on?" the little teenager, Chibi, asked while still laughing hard.

"H-ha? Who? Me?" he turned around, all eyes were on him, laughing. He then realized that their teacher named Mr. Kuboka, was not around, and became puzzled.

"B-but... where is..."

"Oh well..." the chocolate-skinned girl replied in a usual manner, "Mr. Kuboka is absent today and so we have free time at this hour..."

"WHATTA..."

"An' so I'm in charge here right now. You're lucky today, Sanada. If our teacher's here o' if ya just come a li'l late, surely you'll be history."

"An' so we hafta greet ya for bein' uncaught!", boomed Yukari, with lemonish pigtails.

"Yeah!" joined her twin sister, Yukaru, with puppytails, "Congratulations, Ryo!"

Ryo went blank. _Congratulatin' me... for that...?_

"CONGRATULATIONS, RYO!" Jumbo and Chibi cheered together!

Heh, so that means he shed his tears and became in a hurry... for NOTHING.

Being pissed off and had blood rushed in his face, Ryo reacted like a victim of a practical joke show. Man, how he wanted to KILL all the teachers of Hana! Plus and earful of laughter from his classmates and his rumbling stomach (cold rice cakes is still not enough for him for a breakfast), he will surely EXPLODE! But instead...

"...Crap..."

BLAG!

Everyone was surprised to see their poor Seeing his rolling eyes, the whole class feasted on him. Surely, Ryo will never forget this FORGETFUL day when 'destiny played games with him'. Luna Williams, the chocolate-skinned girl and surprisingly the president of the class, just sighed.

And that afternoon something hapened--AGAIN, that will totally change his life since last year...

-----

_(The names **Jumbo, Chibi, Yukari, Yukaru **and **Mr. Kuboka **are just my original characters. **Luna** is from Gaiden OVA, and she is just a very nice character so I put her in. Anyway, please R&R and feel free to say anything but no flaming PLEASE! Thanks! To Episode Three!)_


	4. Episode Three: The Surprise Test

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too god at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Three: THE SURPRISE TEST**

"WHAT??? A surprise test???"

"But, Ma'am, you ain't gonna kill our brains, aren't ya?"

"You HAVEN'T told us about it!!!"

"Aren't ya just STUPID? Surprise test are meant to be SURPRISING, don't ya know that, man?"

While their English teacher had heard enough of their complaints, "Since you did very POORLY last week, I decided to make another test! This time we will see who among you really touched their books... At least, not all the times Miss Williams is always the best here..."

Indeed. When it comes to this subject, EVERYONE envies Luna Williams a lot. She's half-African-American and indeed, can speak and write basic English fluently. Almost all of them were seeking for her help when it comes to English homework, and luckilly she's always there to offer her hand for help.

As been said a while ago, their English teacher gave a special test and of course, all were NOT ready for it, except of course, Luna, aside from being the class president, she's the smartest girl in the class. Ryo, obviously, pissed off silently as he looked at the questions which he didn't understand a lot--all written in ENGLISH. He then remembered their last quiz which he got the LOWEST--16 or something. Indeed it is his waterloo. Until he look around and saw Luna, sitting on the second row in the second line, who is seems at ease in answering the test.

He sighted heavily. How he wished he could be like Luna! But hell, no, he's a Japanese and not an American to understand every English word or phrase. And he knows that there are others, too, who were dreaming to be like her or to be friends with her only for the sake of tutoring them in English. And that sounds so selfish. For that Ryo stopped thinking abbout his problem and instead just concentrate on the test though he don't understand even a letter.

...Until he sees something.

Puzzled, he saw only Luna, nothing or no one else. But why? He almost thought that he has a crush on her. Darn, that's impossible! He can't have a apecial feeling on a girl since he doesn't have time for that. He shook his head vigorously...

But the surrounding still didn't change.

_Oh no... It's...It's..._

Until he heard her VERY CLEARLY from afar!

_An action word...Yes, a verb! Verb... An action word modified by a noun, verb or another...adverb? Adverb... An agreement that...Oh, yeah, S-V Agreement..._

He can hear her! Without opening her mouth! But how? He can clearly hear her from an aisle away and yet...

What the heck is going on???

"Sanada?"

Gulp.

Turned to his crossed old professor with sweatdrop, "I believe you still have a test to finish rather than imagining yourself sitting beside Miss Williams."

Everyone laughed, except Luna, sighing.

"Quiet please, people!"

In impulse, thet turned at their papers and went silent.

The teacher turned to Ryo again. "That will be a warning for you, Mr. Sanada. The next time I caught you doing something irrelevant to my subject will be very 'fatal' for you... Remember that."

The teacher then roamed around again to check the students, leaving Ryo speechless.

About what had just happened, he decided to stay quiet about it. After all, no one will ever believe in him--even his closest friends in the classroom--that he can actually read and hear someone's... THOUGHTS. Thoughts that either come from the BRAIN... or from the HEART. A special ability that he possessed... since LAST YEAR.

Sweat rolled down from his forehead to his cheeks untouching his sideburns. His tiger blue eyes cannot focus carefully on his paper, still thinking of the incident. But why should he have to be nervous with it? Avoiding to think of it again, Ryo decided that the best thing to do is to try to write the answers he had just heard from Luna's thoughts. So be it, he thought, and so, although he don't understand, he jot down the answers according to what he just heard first. After all, it's the only way to 'pass' the subject, though it was caused--unexpectedly--by MENTAL MAGIC.

And it was done! Right after the bell, all the papers were in. All had a migraine, Luna still in her calm and compose self, and Ryo...

He was silent the whole day. His classmates were wandering about his strange behavior but he just ignored them. It must have been done to what happened during the exam. But they're WRONG.

And the next few hours went normal to him.

-----

_(Okay... This is it for now! Don't be afraid to put your comments on here! I'll be grateful to that!)_


	5. Episode Four: The Strange Cat

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Four: THE STRANGE CAT**

By four, Ryo went straight home. After all, he had nothing to do in the plaza where he normally rest and eat a little snack and after an hour or so he will soon leave. The incident hours ago still on his head and felt greatly exhausted to it. But what he was worrying for the most was what happened this morning.

"Still I should've gone to school earlier..." he said to himself with a tired voice, "I could have still more time to have my breakfast..."

But then the surprise test incident came across his mind. He clearly remembered it. But he just shook his head vigorously, trying to convince himself that it's just the result of skipping heavy breakfast.

Until he sighted something from afar, in the sidewalk. A peculiar striped white cat which seems to be not at itself tried to cross the road. Though it is meters away from him, Ryo noticed that the cat is quite thin and shabby; a street cat maybe, but its peculiarness is present with its BLACK-striped fur.

_Is THAT a cat? _Ryo thought as he continued walking, _Come to think of it, I've never seen a striped one in my..._

BLAG!

He stopped, and this time he mean it. In his eyes, the poor cat collapsed and fell on the pile of garbage! In disbelief, _He DIDN'T mean to joke, did he?_, and ran to the said cat.

He picked it up and gently stroke its fur. _It's alive..._, he thought, _but it seems that his master has neglected him. Poor guy..._

Just then a group of girls in a different uniform passed by. They were perplexed to see a boy picking a 'dead cat'.

"Whatta heck he's doin'?"

"Dunno..."

"Ew... a DEAD cat scavenger!"

"What on earth will he do to THAT thing?"

"Eat it?"

"GROSS!!!"

"For God's sake! I think I lost my appetite..."

"Me either..."

"We'll just go to the karaoke bar, shall we?"

"Yeah..."

Hearing the girls' conversation, Ryo jerked up (as a result of being used again by his mental ability), "IT'S ALIVE, YOU IDIOTS!" the girls were shocked and ran away, thinking that he had already LOST his mind (come to think of it, he thought of that, too!). Ryo sighed and as for the cat, he decided to keep it for a while until it is strong enough to be surrendered to the right authority.

-----

Back in his disastered house (he didn't clean up a while ago), Ryo fed the cat with milk and fish he bought in the canteen (which was supposed to be his dinner) after he had treated its wounds.

"Sorry for the mess..." he talked to the cat while stroking its back, "I was in a hurry this mornin' and it made me PISSED off!... Sorry for the food, too," and hung his head low in shame, "I know you're very hungry, but that's not even enough for a full dinner," the cat turned to him with innocent BROWN eyes, "To tell ya, I'm leavin' here alone here since my father was killed by a lion. Damn, I HATE lions! And my gramps sustainin' me with everythin' I need. I even don't know how to COOK!"

The cat stopped eating and crawled on Ryo's lap. It purred lovingly as if it understands him. "I'm ashamed for ya, man..." with sad eyes, "Ya really know how it feels to be ALONE, don't ya? " and he picked up the cat and continued to stroke it.

By six, after the cat had finished its meal, Ryo dressed up in his maroon sweater and told the cat to be good, he will just buy something for dinner. That is what he usually do every mealtime since he doesn't know how to cook, ironically, only rice. He still ahve to order something cheap in a nearby restaurant since the budget is so tough.

Upon his return with tempura for a meal, Ryo opened the door, "I'm home!" but with popped eyes...

"Oh... my..."

His mouth left open at what he saw: well arranged furniture, well-polished flooring; the garbage were all thrown in their proper bins; dirty clothes were piled up neatly in the basket separating the whites from the colored ready to be washed; dishes were all washed up, dried and neatly piled; the kitchen and the bathroom were well-scrubbed and smelles pleasantly; his bed was neatly fixed and his things for school were in their proper place.

In short: the house once been 'raped' by a typhoon has transformed into a respectful place rightly to be called 'HOME'!

"Who.did.this?"

He took off his shoes and went in. Even he, the owner of the 'miracled' house, hesitated to set his foot in because it was so CLEAN. The floor was almost sparkled with neatness. _Man... _he thought still with opened mouth in amazement, _It will take me an hour or two to make this possible! Just who in the world did this, anyway?_

Then Ryo remembered the cat. _Nah, that's rediculous! And by what magic could an ordinary cat to do this...? Heh, if that REALLY is an ordinary cat... _But he just shook his head roughly. _Ouch, Ryo. I think ya hafta eat now. Ei... where's the cat?_

He turned around looking for it. "Hey, Kitty!" he called, "Hey, kitty, kitty!" he looked everywhere, "Kitty! Where are you? Come out now, boy! I still hafta eat! Yoohoo!"

But not a single meow has been heard.

Worried, he continued to search. Reaching to his bedroom, he found the window wide open. He went puzzled.

_How did he managed to OPEN that? _And he went near the window and peeked outside, still puzzled about the cat and his disappearance, _Maybe he became strong enough to find his way home. Good for him. Hope he could... Crap! My dinner! It's gettin' cold! _And he closed the window and the bedroom door and hurried upstairs.

Still puzzled about what happened this evening, Ryo still took his dinner as if nothing really happened. But what he was curious about was the striped white cat with strangely BROWN eyes that he helped. Ryo, himself, is a cat lover and expert (but he said he doesn't know much about it) and knows all the species and breeds of it--from lions to domesticated. Of all these, the lion is the only specie he HATES since it killed his father in Africa four years ago (ironically, Leo is his zodiac sign) and the tiger is his most favorite. He even had a stuffed little white tiger in his room as his father's last gift on his tenth birthday, similar with the features of the said cat.

Speaking of similar...

He was almost choked at the shrimp he's eating when he thought about it. Was it a COINCIDENCE? He hoped so. But everything's quite strange this evening. He even can't determine the breed of the said cat. A white one with black stripes like those of a tiger? Usually cats have spots or if they have, only minimal stripes of orange, brown or white and only tigers have black or dark brown visible stripes. He almost though that it's not a cat after all, but just a little tiger cub who lost his way home eithe in a zoo or in a circus. But frankly, it's not since it's way too small for a tiger cub. Brown eyes? But cats' eyes are mostly blue, green or golden yellow, depending on the breed and specie. But having brown eyes is exclusively RARE. Maybe it had got it in some sort of mutation, experiment or a result of mixed breeding.

And the oddest of all: how in the world that the features of his stufftoy ang the cat that he helped is all the SAME?

Still he continued to eat, thinking that he was in some sort of fatigue. It will be gone so soon, anyway, as he thought.

-----

_(He-he... Making this write-up gives me a migraine! Anyway, Please R&R! Thanks!)_


	6. Episode Five: The Goddess Of The River

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Five: THE GODDESS OF THE RIVER**

Twelve o'clock.

Looking at the outside, the Toyama Museum looked haunted with all the lights off. There is one security guard outside, wathching if there will be thieves around.

A mysterious dark figure appeared just a tree above the museum, waiting for an event to occur. A thief?

The guard continued his duty. An hour from now he will be exchanged to one next to him to watch over, so he have to finish it today in order for him to go home early. Holding a flashlight, he roamed around, checking all the spy cameras if they are working perfectly or not. He took his radiophone to report to the person-in-charge of the cameras about his observations.

"Camera on Section Sixteen. Is it working? Over"

(Camera on Section Sixteen is working, over.)

This is what the guards of the museum (or any establishments) always do during the evening. Frightening but its their duty to keep an eye on everything. Tiring, too, especially if you were been put on an overnight duty. Too bad if you're afraid of the dark.

But on the second floor...

Paintings were mostly seen in the second floor. The antics and other relics can be found on third and fourth floors. Going back to the second floor, one painting looks quite distinctive among others: a big yet beautiful image of a stunning young ancient woman bathing in the river. The said guard went to the second floor to check if there is something unusual there when he passed through the location of the said painting.

With his flashlight, he lighted up the painting. He smiled at the perfect, beautiful image of the lady bathing in cool, clear waters. It could be a sort of a goddess descended to bathe herself, truly an enchanted scenario based maybe on a mythology. He thought that the painter behind it was greatly inspired or something because of its vivid colors showing neutrality of the image, seemed like an expanded photograph taken somewhere else for it looks so real.

But his admiration cut short when he saw something weird in the painting... He noticed the peculiar faces looked scared in the river. Three faces that looked like they were afraid of something. He was a little surprised, then, when he recognized one of them. Then he remembered now about how the said painting was first been taken in the museum. At first there were no faces painted in there....

Then he finally remembered two weeks ago when two of his comrades went missing that night. No one could guess when, how and what time it happened. He figured out that they went missing since the famous painting came in to be taken care of for the gallery exhibit.

Sweat rolled down on his cheeks.

Suddenly he saw another weird thing in his eyes: The half-closed eyes of the fairy slowly opened up and the guard rubbed his eyes thinking that it's just his imagination. But no! The fairy's eyes went open in the PAINTING, gazing lovingly on him! But why and how?

"I...I'm...just....dreamin'...am I not...?"

Surprisingly, the fairy replied...

"No, you're not..."

He gulped.

In just a split second, the woman's goddess appearance turned into a cursed hag! It screamed at the man like the chilling sound of wretched old wicked witch! The guard, in intense fear, dropped his flashlight and...

"YAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A GHOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He tried to escape, but his trembling knees prohibit him to do so. So he tried to crawl away from the painting, but the hag went out of its territory to get its victim!

"HELP ME!!!!!!!!"

But no one heard him, not even the guard who was supposedly next to him and the man in-charge of cameras since the hag made them malfuction with its spell. And with its spell they all fell asleep.

The man cannot crawl anymore due to fear. Tears went down in his weary eyes as he begged, "H-ha-have-m-mer-mercy-on-me-me...Please...P-p-please, l-le-let-let me l-l-live...PLEASE!!!

"You and I..." the hag's reply... "Will be together... FOREVER!"

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The cry died. Silence covered again the midnight.

The mysterious image smiled as if he had waited this evening...

-----

_(Onward to Episode Six! Please R&R! Thanks! Whew... I can't think of what will I say next...)_


	7. Episode Six: The Calling

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Six: THE CALLING**

_Ryo..._

"Huh? Who's there?"

_Ryo..._

"Who... Who's there?"

_Ryo...there's no more time left..._

"No time? What do you mean?"

_You have to move quickly..._

"But... just who the hell are you, anyway???"

He found himself floating into nowhere: in his usual loose sleeping clothes. to his surprise, he also wears his lucky charm necklace--a small silver crystal ball pendant in a leather strap adorned with small cat teeth. He usually take it off before going to sleep, that's why he was surprised to see himself wearing it without noticing.

"Where...am I?" he asked himself, when suddenly his surroundings glowed into fiery red like there's a big fire. He protected his eyes from sudden glow. As soon as he get used into the light, he was shocked to see the whole place--in FLAMES!

"Whatta..."

He felt sudden heat on the place; he felt like he was in Hell about to be roasted! "But I didn't do anythin' wrong in my whole entire life!" he shouted a the invisible being he'd spoken to, "Whatever I did somethin', I'm sorry! I really don't..."

_We have no more time left..._

"Please, SHOW YOURSELF!" suddenly his pendant glowed red like bursting flame! Surprised, he even didn't get what's really happening. He just felt that the intense heat penetrating his body began to decrease its temperature like the flames were AVOIDING him. Does his necklace did it? "But how...?" puzzled, "It... saved me..."

The mysterious manly voice continued, _I need you, Ryo..._

"You need me? On what purpose? Show yourself first!"

_I'm right here... in front of you..._

Ryo faced front as the voice said. With popped eyes, he deeply wondered how in the world his stuffed white tiger got there!

"...You're kiddin' me..." in his anguish face.

_You have the answer_... The stuffed toy TALKED!

His face can't distinguish his true emotions about this mystery. He shook his head as if he didn't believed in everything he sees today. "This... this is..."

_...The answer..._

He cannot bear it any longer. He looked at the whole scenario. It seems that nothing is real at all. Besides, how in the world he could float in nowhere like that? And how would his precious stufftoy could actuallt talk like that? He curbed his lips.

"This... is nonesense... This isn't real..." and he went near to the floating stufftoy, "It's not real..." and took it, "It's just a DREAM!" he shook his stufftoy, "Hear that? THIS IS JUST A DREAM! I'm tellin' ya! A DREAM! INLY A DREAM! ONLY..."

KKKRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"ACK!"

He immediately got up, blinking. Seeing the place, he realized that he is still in his own bedroom. He guessed it right. It's just a dream.

And the clock tells him that it's already five o'clock.

He looked around, then at his desk. He took a deep breath, thanking to himself that it's not true after all, seeing his necklace on top of it...

But WHERE IN THE WORLD IS HIS STUFFTOY?

He was so sure that he didn't play with it so much nowadays since he turned fourteen last year. Till then he realized that he is holding something soft and squishy, furry and light. Shaken, he set his eyes to something very, very surprising:

HOW COME THAT HE'S HOLDING THE STUFFTOY SINCE IT'S ON TOP OF HIS DESK???

He froze. Doesn't mean taht what he had dreamth a while ago is really TRUE? Or just a matter of having a sleepwalking disorder?

Ryo shook his head to take all these strange happenings in his mind.

He immediately got out of his bed and fixed it. He still have an hour left for breakfast. Still the stufftoy is in his hand, Ryo can't help but to take a glance on it with a big wonder.

_It's been a year ago... _he thought to himself, _and maybe it all started when I saw that meteor shower... which no one had noticed it but me..._

And it was been a year ago...

-----

_(To Episode Seven! Please R&R! Thanks...)_


	8. Episode Seven: The Year Ago

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Seven: THE YEAR AGO**

_Ryo couldn't forget that morning when he saw the meteor shower: a very strange phenomenon which no one except him noticed. For that, the teacher called his attention for he thought that his student was daydreaming again. He threw a question on him and since he didn't answer, he got a low mark in recitation. Worse, when their English teacher gave back their assignment, which was a essay, he got a big, fat, hairy F on it. He just sighed secretly and went back to his seat being shot by a fatal gun in his head. In his thought, he will never, EVER make it. He almost wanted to ask the school authority why it is necessary for a Japanese to speak, read write and understand a language that the never grew up with, the same question that was likable to be imposed on Mathematics. But he just kept the question to himself and didn't bother to complain or it will turn out WORSE. He cannot help but sigh again._

_But one afternoon will change his life... FOREVER._

_Regarding the checked essays distributed, their English teacher became disappointed at the students' scores. So instead of having a formal discussion, it turned into a hour-long sermon._

_"Is this will be your BEST output after I have taught you EVERYTHING? My God! For ten years here in this institution I have never encountered such shallowheaded students like you! You might be the second class but it doesn't mean that you will be like the students of the lower class!"_

_The heavy downpour can be only heard in the four corners of the classroom._

_"You know my standards. I ALWAYS expect everyone to be good at this subject even though you're not in the highest division. I am always fair to everyone. But what you are doing to me right now is truly UNFAIR!"_

_Everyone can't look at their devastated teacher straight. While Ryo keeps on sighing secretly, catching a little breath. He almost wished for the dismissal already; he now wanted to go home straight since heavy rains poured on the city. He even forgot to bring his umbrella. But it is broken, anyway. _

_Until he hears something at the back..._

That darn teacher! They called us shallowhead'd!

In fact, she DIDN'T teach us anythin'!

_S_he don't have the RIGHT to say that to us!

Whaddus she think she calls herself? A GODDESS???

Her voice is SOOOOOO irritatin'!

I wanna KILL her right here, right now!

Give us a break, will ya?

I don't wanna graduate anymore...

_He heard them, loud and clear. So he turned back to see if they were really cursing their teacher in whisper. But to his surprise, he didn't see any of them from the back opening their mouths..._

_And yet the cursing continues!_

She's a miser!

So boring!

I hate her!

Darn it! I wanna go home!

C'mon, clock, RING NOW, WILL YA???

I wanna complain her to my mommy...

_It turned louder, clearer. But NO MOUTHS HAD BEEN SEEN OPEN ON EACH OF THEM! He cannot get it why and HOW it that happened._

_He turned his head around his classmates: All phisically silent but MENTALLY NOISY, complaining so much on their teacher without her hearing it! While the teacher continued to nag her students but they seem to be not in harmony in boxing their teacher's ears secretly._

_Ryo turned in the state of shock with great perspiration. He cannot explain to himself how in the world he can hear them without opening their mouths at all?_

Whatta... what IS this??? They don't open their mouths, but I CAN HEAR THEM SO CLEAR!!! But how??? What's happenin' to me...

_"MR. SANADA!!!"_

_"GACK!"_

_He didn't realized that the teacher was noticing him since then. "And it seems that YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION VERY WELL. Why? Aren't you the LOWEST in my class?"_

_"Um..." he didn't know what to explain to her, "Yes, Ma'am, but I..."_

_"You what?"_

_"I... I'm sorry..."_

_"Oh, so you're sorry?"_

_"Y..yeah..."_

_"Well," and she stared her with the sharpest eyes she can set on his dullest student, "I can still forgive you if YOU WILL STAY STANDING OUTSIDE UNTIL THE END OF THE PERIOD! And you willl NOT go home after a long talk!"_

_No one uttered even a peep. All pitiful eyes were on Ryo, as if they were very sorry for the 'injustice' he comitted from their terror teacher._

_But although they don't console him publicly, Ryo still can hear their thoughts on him..._

Poor Sanada...

That's so CRUEL!

He's doin' nothin' wrong!

Damn!

If only I can help him...

This is INJUSTICE!

She's the one whe suppos'd to be OUTSIDE, not him!

I wanna push her off the window!

I want her DEAD!

_This time it's louder and clearer. Their hearts are shouting for him! But their teacher didn't hear anything on them--except HIM. He shook his head vigorously, trying to take off the noise penetrating his head. But still with no avail. So although it's so hard on his part, Ryo had no choice but to follow her just to get the 'invisible' noise out of him._

_Ryo stood outside the door--waiting for the 'major penalty' his teacher will gave to him. He hoped silently that he wouldn't hear strange voices again. But he thought he wouldn't... Until this time he had heard her irritating voice to his head..._

After this... I will give that stupid boy a good punishment he deserve... I will give him an assignment on Idioms and he will report it to the class... Heh, let's see who will be humiliated! Serves him right for not paying attention!

_He was surprised by what he had heard. She will give him that dreaded punishment??? She knows that Ryo is so LOW in her English class and although he gives homeworks and essays, all richly marked in RED (ironically, his favorite color). He thought that she is very allergic to dull students (that's true), thus made him furious. She wanted to humiliate him in front of the class! And so without worrying about this strange happenings first, he decided to talk to her SERIOUSLY._

_But then..._

( Your attention please, your attention please. Due to sudden heavy rains, the Bureau of Meteorology has announced that all the classes in all lavels are SUSPENDED. The students and the faculty are been advised to go home immediately. Repeating the announcement...)

_"YEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

_An unexpected annoncement has just made around 1:30 in the afternoon. All the classrooms were filled with shouts of happiness shouts of freedom from succeeding homeworks and other boring class afternoons. Ryo was surprised to hear the announcement and the shouts and yells from their MOUTHS had covered their angry thoughts. So peeking at the classroom, he was almost been bumped by the rushing students all packed up. Their teacher was almost been squished flat by the stampede unnoticed. She deserves it, anyway! _

_Luckilly, he grabbed his bag without noticing him and went straight home running, not worrying about the cursed old maid teacher. He ran not worrying that he might catch a cold since he let himself wet in heavy rain. He didn't mind about being sick or what, as long as he reach home safely._

_Ryo went home attacking the heavy raindrops pouring over the entire city, perhaps to cool himself down. But as he went on his way, he was agin bothered by several unknown voices, although the people then didn't use their mouths. Or if they did so, they ironically talked about something so different from what he just heard... from their thoughts._

I swear... I want to KILL that man!

Oh no... what if Mom and Dad found out that I'm...

Man, what should I do? Where could I date her?

Hafta finish ma' homework first before watchin' the Slugs...

She's so sexy...so yummy...I like her to...

Damn! How could I tell her that I LOVE her? She might get angry at me...

_He froze for a moment._

_It's not a hallucination after all, he thought. He REALLY could positively HEAR their thoughts... EVERYTHING... without missing a line! In his shocked appearance, he let himself soaking wet, unmoved by the people bumping him unmindfully, at the same time letting his ears hear everything against his will. Damn, what's happening to him? Is this a result of the meteor shower he just saw this morning? Or just..._

_Until someone shared an umbrella with him._

_"Hey, man! You ok?"_

_He turned to the cheerful fat boy, unexpectedly wearing the same uniform he wore, still with a shocked look. The fat boy didn't mind Ryo like that, he just shared his umbrella with him since he noticed him already soaking wet and no one had even bothered to help him._

_The fat boy can't help his mouth but to talk to him, while Ryo just did his best to listen (although he didn't want for a while) until something that the boy uttered that made Ryo became even more shocked. Slowly, he moved backwards, and ran away from the boy, away from the crowd. Until some of them have already noticed his strange behavior. Unlikeable thoughts continued to flow in his mind, raindrops and perspiration mixed in his face, his hands became colder and more clammy, shaking with cold and a blank mind._

_...Is he already insane?_

_"...Shut up... shut up... shut up, SHUT UP!!!!!"_

_And he ran away from the crowd; he cannot take these any longer, while the people wondered about the poor, raven-haired boy who looked like drunken. "Is he okay?" the man even asked the other with a puzzled look._

_He ran straight home, loked the door, and panted heavily. His whole body is dripping heavily with rainwater, man, another chore to tackle up. In his heart, still he cannot believe about a special ability he had just discovered. And about what the cheerful fat boy had just told him that make him more shocked. He thought that he was CURSED. Maybe another factor that made him have that ability is being ALONE in the house since his father was killed in Africa. Yes.. he was. Looking around the interior, it seems that the only person living here is no other than Ryo Sanada himself. He sighed heavily._

_He can feel the heavy shackles chained on both of his feet, like a prisoner going to his cell. His whole body was so heavy with wetness and mental tortures. Drops of rainwater made a trail from where he was been minutes ago. He swore to himself that after he dried himself, he will sleep the whole day without meals as soon as he reached his room._

_He opened his bedroom then he took a few fresh clothes and a big white towel to dry himself before changing. As he took off his wet upper uniform and his red T-shirt one by one, Ryo noticed something shining... on his cherished stuffed white tiger on his desk._

_He checked on his stufftoy. He found something on its lap: a smooth, round silvery crystal just about the size of a jackstone ball. He wondered how it got there. Looking at the stufftoy, "I remember this..." he said to himself, "It's Papa's last birthday gift to me while he was in Africa... a very cute souvenir..." then noticing the strange orb, he took it to examine. it. But as soon as he touched the orb, it suddenly glowed unto him with brightly red glow!_

_"WHATTA...!"_

_He felt sudden heat when red light penetrated on his wet body, seemed like the light itself dried him up! The soft but bright light almost made him float, so much amazed in another phenomenon occured unto him that day. _

_Minutes later, the orb stopped glowing. Once again his feet was on the floor. But surprisingly, he looked at himself: already DRY without even touching his towel yet! _

_He found himself with a blank, emotionless face. He couldn't hardly speak about the incident. But then he stared at the orb with great wonder as he decided to keep it for a while, for he thought that the said orb appeared just for him without knowing the reason behind it._

_And for a year since that, he had already forgot his question about the cryatal he was wearing right now..._

Back once again to present time...

"I'm so sorry..." as Ryo put back the stufftoy in his desk, "I guess I was just freaked out those days..." and he went down for breakfast.

-----


	9. Episode Eight: The History Class

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Eight: THE HISTORY CLASS**

An ordinary day for Ryo Sanada (hope so...) as they tackle about the his WORST subject: Japanese history. English might be his waterloo, but at least he's doing his best to pass it. But Japanese history? No. Ironically, he's a Japanese who doesn't even care about the past of his ancestors. His only point was why every Japanese must still have to learn its history as they have to take up the English subject. For him it is not that important as doing a 3-page essay in English or you will be flunked. Secondly, it's too ANNOYING, especially...

"During Feudalism," the teacher started the discussion, "A class of people emerged to defend their shogun and their country known as samurai. During that time samurais were the highest class of people since Japan's primary concern was military power, unlike China where education then was their main priority and scholars were considered the highest class. The warring states period gave way to the new type of warriors called ninjas. They were served as spies and were excellent at retrieval and guarding purposes, and they were quicker and have higher ability than armored samurais. They mostly attack secretly by groups. Am I right... Mr. Sanada?"

Ryo, resting his chin against his hand, was caught by the teacher's attention. "It seems that you are intending not to listen, aren't you? Stand up!"

Ryo had no choice but to follow. He stood up and stretched himself in front of the teacher.

"If I'm not mistaken," she started, "Your clan was once belonged to a class of ninjas during the time of Nobunaga. The Sanada Ninjas were popularly known for helping rebel samurais to defend the nation. Am I right?"

The whole class were amazed at what they had just heard and started talking to each other.

He began to fuss off. But as the rules go, he had to answer. "...Yes, Ma'am. My folks even told me about it. They often tell stories about our ancestors. But everythin' sounds Greek to me..."

"And by what explanation, if you please?"

"Well... it's just that annoyin'..."

"Are you trying to say that you are ASHAMED of being a ninja?"

"That's not it, Ma'am..." he tried to control his temper, "My father once said that bein' a member of a ninja clan surely's so tough. One must follow certain rules in order for the clan to survive at least with order. But he hated bein' choked up with so many rules so he decided to go to Africa as a wildlife photographer. If I were in his place, I'll do also the same thing if I hafta..."

"That means escaping from responsibility!"

"Yes...and no."

The teacher became speechless. The whole class also turned mute after their whispers.

"Yes... and only my father knows why. And I believe, no, 'cause he still lives in the way of a ninja--his OWN way, like I do. That's what my father told me that we don't need so many rules just to be a fulltime ninja. As long as one has a heart and the determination to be one, that's already enough to follow them without forcin' one to do so. That's all."

"That's... ALL?"

Silence hailed the whole classroom. Everyone became so amazed at Ryo's unexpected speech that no one interfered, not even Luna.

Speaking of Luna, she slowly got up and made soft claps as a sign of deep appreciation, followed by a faster, louder claps. Soon others followed her, too, clapping for him.

Until everyone applaud loudly for 'THE GREAT NINJA, RYO SANADA'!

He turned red.

The teacher felt ultimate INSULT on her student! "Are you trying to make fun of me, Mr. Sanada?"

"Ma'am, no!" his snappy answer, "I'm just tellin' the..."

Suddenly his whole world turned dark...

Ryo sensed something strange again. This time, only his teacher can be seen: nagging at him WITHOUT any noise at all. Until he saw the gradual metamorphosis of the surrounding: there was a great fire in the place and men with horses were scattered everywhere; all of them were in black full armor carrying swords, sticks, javelins, scythes, mancatchers, killing anybody on their way with no mercy. One group of brown-armored men were defending the town against the black side. The townspeople screamed with fear, seeking for help. The whole town is in total CHAOS!

But amidst the tremendous scenario, the teacher was still standing there, nagging at him without words!

Could this mean that Ryo was looking at his teacher's THOUGHTS? Thoughts about Feudal Japan?

So that what it was looked like, he thought. There were many different samurais: some defending the country, some just kill for mere pleasure of killing. In the scenario he saw, there were two groups of samurais fighting: the brown-armored men were the defenders and the black ones were the enemies. They were fighting in the middle of the town. Many lives had lost, many ties had torned apart, their livelihood turned into ashes. And yet the defenders were trying their best to protect the people from the intruders.

But suddenly, one of the brown samurais spoke to him!

"...This will all happen... if the destined samurais don't move quickly..."

...Destined samurais?

Ryo was shocked upon hearing the brown samurai spoke to him. He talked to him although these are all only from the mind and thought of his nagging teacher? How come?

All of these happened in just one present minute.

As the brown samurai drew his sword out, its luster regained Ryo's consciousness and was brought back to the present after that time travelling.

And also...

"MR. SANADA!!!!!"

But instead of being surprised, Ryo seemed to be motionless, his face a bit shocked, and uttered nothing to answer. Worse, he lost his weight on his feet and collapsed!

The teacher was the one who became shocked.

She rushed to the collapsed boy (who was helped by Jumbo and Chibi behind him) and "...Mr. Sanada?" she tried to wake him up, "Mr. Sanada?" she tapped him on his cheek a few times, "Are you all right? What happened to you?"

At last, Ryo regained his consciousness, "Aw... my head..." he groaned, "Hey... what happened, anyway...?"

"You're collapsed, man," Jumbo answered, "Bet you're exhaust'd to answer her that tough!"

"You're GREAT, man!" Chibi patted him on his shoulder.

"We never thought that you're smart!" Yukari commented.

"Yeah! Keep that up!" Yukaru cheered.

Then everyone greeted Ryo like their HERO!

Unmindful of their uttered praises on him, the teacher the president, "Miss Williams, take Mr. Sanada to the clinic!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Strong hands accompanied him to the clinic when the bell rang, a signal that ended their 'remarkable' lesson today.

-----

_(Chapter Nine will be uploaded ASAP! Look forward to that, please! And please R&R, too! Thanks!)_


	10. Episode Nine: The Call For Help

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Nine: THE CALL FOR HELP**

The school physician who looked after Ryo told his adviser about what happened during History class. He quoted that he has some sort of fatigue resulted from too much stress and thinking plus his house is so distant from school and he doesn't have enough money for a taxi ride so he have to walk nine kilometers from it. He was even advised to go home and rest for a while as soon as he could cope up from stress.

On the hospital bed where his uniform was hanged in the steel bar, Ryo tried to sleep but he couldn't close his eyes. Staring at the ceiling, Luna came in with his bag.

"Mr. Kuboka knew it already," she said, putting his bag on the table provided, "He's advisin' ya to go home..."

"Yeah, I know..." and he tried to get up and sit down, "I heard it from Doc on the phone..."

"Ya ok now?"

"Yeah, thanks... In fact I can stand up now..."

"Ah-ah-ah! Don't force yerself, Sanada. The doct'r just advis'd ya..."

"I know, I know... Don't worry, I'll just sit here..."

The mellow music on the radio silenced the two conversing young people. Luna just sat beside Ryo without looking at him, while he is so quiet and not even have the courage to look at her face.

"Ei by the way," she looked at him, "Good job, Sanada!"

Upon hearing that praise again, Ryo blushed and lowered his head. "...D-don't say that! In fact, I don't really have the intention to insult her..."

"But ya diddit, silly!"

"Nah..."

"To tell ya, no one had ev'r have th' courage to confront her. She's maybe a good teacher but no one could defeat her in a debate. Ev'n the toughest in this school will find a hard time to defeat her..."

"...Did you mean that I'm the first and only one who did that?"

"Ya bet!"

"...But..."

Their conversation was cut short when the music, too, was interrupted to give way to a flash report:

(We temporarilly interrupt this program to give you this breaking news: The Toyama Museum has once again been attacked by a ghost who believed that it came from the celebrated last masterpiece of the late Tsukabashi Kohei, entitled "The Goddess Of The River". Since it was brought to the museum a week ago for the fourthcoming exhibit, the said painting, according to the curator, had mysteriously undergone changes in the appearance. As of yesterday only three gloomy faces can be seen on the painting which was MYSTERIOUSLY appeared since its arrival. But today another face appeared. One of the guards recognized the latest face to appear on the painting, by the name of Takano Matsuhiko. Rumors believe that the new face was none other than Takano himself, and the others were the missing personnel since last week...)

The two went silent.

"That's odd," commented Luna, "I also saw that rumor on TV 'tis mornin'... Wow, that's now SCARY..."

But Ryo didn't say anything. Luna saw him not in himself again: Speechless and emotionless. "Sanada?" she called him, "Sanada? Ya ok?"

But in fact Ryo started to hear someone's mind...again.

He was just standing in the middle of nowhere. An man in his forties with a white uniform of a guard was there with an anxious face, trying to get close to him, begging...

"Help me... Please... I don't want here..."

Ryo turned to the man. He gulped at himself, thinking that something was wrong. Until he looked around and with a surprise: he was surrounded by beautiful paintings and relics in a velvet cultain of heavy satin. He didn't understand how in the world he got there, but he was sure...

He's in the Toyama Museum!

He looked at the man. In his uniform he can tell that he's the guard in thie museum. But he simmply cannot get why the man was asking for help. Meanwhile the man continued to approach him as he beg once more...

"Help me... I'm begging you... Get me out of here!"

Ryo wanted to respond, but no voice came out of his mouth!

"Help me... please... I'm so scared..."

He thought of another strategy, but as he was about to move his legs to aid him, it turned numb!

"I'm begging you... please... Spare my life!"

The poor man was helpless! Even him! Both his voice and legs was perhaps controlled by some sort of a magic spell. His whole body become numb!

"Help me!!!"

A gush of wave suddenly came in, swallowing the man slowly while crying for help!

Ryo cannot do nothing but to watch the man being eaten up by the big wave.

Thus the scenario whirled up with lots of WATER. He was almost drawned but luckilly he managed to get out. He then remenbered the scene a while ago. He wondered why when he was trying to help the man he cannot move even a little, but when the big wave came he even managed to get out of it.

Later an image of a beautiful woman appeared on the scene now turned into a riverbank, about to take a bath on its clean, clear waters. So beautiful he almost set his eyes on her, almost emotionless.

But then he remembered the news a while ago. He couldn't forget the title of Tsukabashi's last painting turned the talk of the town: The Goddess of the River. He noticed the bathing woman. He looked around the scenario. He went shocked when he realized...

The woman was the goddess in the painting, itself! And the whole scenario is the painting itself!

Worse, when he saw the man from a while ago who was begging for help. He saw only his SHOCKED face: a face with mixed emotions of fright, anxiety, deep sadness... Plus the three others who were already ahead of the man to be victimized by the woman!

He is inside the painting itself!

He became totally numb, especially when the woman turned her eyes on him and smiled with a frightening meaning...

"...It's your turn..."

And instantly the woman transformed into a river hag and about to devour him body and soul! He tried to run but once again fate made his body number than usual! Sweat rolled down constatly on his face, wishing that someone will wake him up from this nightmare before she will finally eat him ALIVE.

Luckilly, his wish came true.

"Sanada?"

At last Ryo woke up from that accidental mind-reading. "Hey, Sanada... ya ok?"

But his shocked face just determined that HE IS NOT OK. Perspired and panting, he was still able to speak, though not that clear.

"That man...that man... He's... He's cryin'... cryin' for help..."

"Whatta ya sayin'?"

"The paintin'..."

"How about the paintin'?"

"The paintin'... it's... it's alive..."

"Alive?'

"And the man... he's... he's in the paintin'..."

"Whatta..."

"He's in the paintin'! I swear it!"

"Sanada..."

"I swear it, man! I saw it!"

"Calm down, Sanada..." Luna tried to calm him as soon as possible, "I think that news just cause ya mo' stress..."

Panting, "But... But..."

"Stay here. I'll get the taxi. Ma' treat!"

"But..."

"No mo' buts, classmate! You've suffer'd enough already. I think ya should go home now..."

"...But... you don't have to do this..."

"Well, I hafta, an' that's ma' job!" and she got up As she was about to leave, "As yer class presid'nt, it's ma' duty to look afta ma' classmates!" and she winked.

Unnoticed, Ryo just blushed in shyness, letting Luna do her job.

As soon as she got a taxi, Ryo was immediately took there to be sent home. Puzzles at the incidents happened today, he held his head and sighed, "Oh, man... not again..."

-----

_(The names **Tsukabashi Kohei **and **Takano Matsuhiko **are just my original characters and does not related to YST nor RW. Okay, people! It's been uploaded! Wait for episode ten and this is gonna be exciting! Please R&R! Thanks in advance!)_


	11. Episode Ten: The Chosen One

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Ten: THE CHOSEN ONE**

Upon the taxi's arrival at Ryo's house, he thought that the best way to forget everything from last year is to SLEEP the whole day and try to take his problem as an illness. Yes, he will try although he didn't feel sleepy at all. But although how many times he try to forget about it, the whole picture still STUCKED on his poor mind. Worse, for him, when he accidentally remembered Luna and her kindness towards him. His face turned red again! Thinking that he was already falling for her, he vigorously shook his head (though it just caused another pain in his head) and tried to convince himself that IT IS NOT YET TIME TO FALL IN LOVE FOR SOMEONE. He is still so young, he even thought.

The taxi then left him alone standing on the gateway. As he opened the gate, Ryo's tiger-blue eyes turned with surprise, and happiness, as he saw...

"Hey, Kitty!" the cat that he helped yesterday came back, "It's you!" the cat leaped unto his arms and purred with delight to see him, "What brings you here, eh?" as he closed the gate while holding the cat, as he stroke its peculiar striped fur once more, the feline purred with contentment as if he doesn't want to get away from Ryo's arms anymore.

In the kitchen, he prepared the cat's welcoming meal with bigger spare fish and more milk. "Hope that'll be enough for you now, man..." he said with a faint smile as he sat on a steel chair while watching the cat eat with loving eyes, "Um, sorry to disturb you for a while but... why are ya here, anyway? Anythin' wrong? Does your master had neglected ya already?"

Hearing that, the cat stopped eating and purred sadly.

"H-he-hey..." Ryo thought that it was his fault, "I... I'm sorry... if I say somethin'... but I'm just..."

The cat looked at him with lovely sad brown eyes and went near him. It jumped onto his arms again. Ryo thought that the cat just wanted someone to stroke his back again and again, as if it had missed his mater who was stroking him before, but it is more than that. More than Ryo expected... that will add up to the list of his most peculiar memories...

"Ryo Sanada..." the cat actually TALKED! "...I need your help..."

Ryo's jaws dropped in disbelief!

The cat continued, "I need your help..."

He turned pale and felt that he already wanted to freak out and scream out of the house as he heard in his own ears and saw in his own eyes: THE CAT ACTUALLY TALKED! So shocked that his whole body trembled with so much exposure from mysterious incidents happened to him since last year. No, no, it is not the cat's thoughts. It really happened. He even tried to pinch his face to see if this is really a dream or just his overwhelming thoughts again. But hell, no, he was even hurt at his strongest pitch he made in himself, causing his face turned swollen red. He turned speechless. His brain will explode with too much hallucination! And he cannot say to himself why and how!

No wonder, the cat is very STRANGE--inside and out.

The strange feline continued to walk towards him but Ryo stood up and tried to avoid him by walking backwards. For that he accidentally bumped into the chair and he fell down! He cannot stand up already with fear that the cat might have been possessed or something and came to him to be 'punished'. "What...what...what do you..." he couldn't almost talk straight with his trembling lips, "Wha...what... Please! Don't hurt me! I'll do anythin' just don't..."

"Please, Ryo! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

"HEEEEEELLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

His voice was heard in the whole neighborhood but only dogs and birds responded. An old woman in a nearby house noticed her St. Bernard barking without seeing anything. "Did you hear anything, sweetie?" she asked.

No one in the neighborhood even heard his cry...

-----

It has been thirty minutes since the horrifying incident, and Ryo was lying in his folding bed unconscious (so shocked that he collapsed!). The cat, then, was sitting beside him, waiting for him to wake up. Finally, after minutes of dozing off, his eyes were starting to open slowly.

"Oh..." he groaned, "...Wh...wha...what happened...?"

He slowly got up and held his swollen head; he felt that it will be about to explode. He looked around with his half-opened eyes. Nothing strange. He sighed deeply and thanked himself that everything happened a while ago is just a WILD dream. He even prayed that it really was.

But I'm afraid that his exhausted brain will explode sooner the moment that he accidentally set his eyes on the root of his migraine.

"I'm glad that you're ok..." it went worse.

Ryo jumped off from his bed in surprise. "GACK! A GHOST!!!" he quickly pulled his blanket and wrapped himself completely for protection. He was trembling on one corner like a child afraid of ghosts or monsters. He even prayed to all the gods in the universe in whisper just to be away from the cursed cat. The cat, meanwhile, just went blank.

It just sighed on the raven boy's behavior. "Please forgive me..." his boylike voice uttered with shame, "...if I cause you trouble. You see..."

Ryo then immediately came out from hiding, fell unto his knees and bowed with great humility that he almost kissed his bed! "Oh, great ancestor!" he thought that the cat was really possessed by his ancestor or something, "Forgive me for my misbehavior for the past few years! Forgive me for not believin' in ninjas or samurais or whatever! I'll do anythin', just PLEASE SPARE MY LIFE!!!"

The cat was just emotionless. "Well..." he answered, "I'm not... really your ancestor or whatever... It's just..."

Upon hearing the cat's explanation, Ryo resumed himself by sitting with a stared look, "If you're not my ancestor..." and his voice resumed to a trembling one again, "then WHO are you?"

"Well, it's a long story," and he sighed again. "Sorry for causing you trouble, but ever since you helped me and fed me, I already had the ability to talk..."

Ryo stared closely at the cat, "Then WHY you didn't tell me in the first place?"

"Well, logically, I don't want to scare you, that's all..."

With a suspecting face, "You said that you need me. Now what do you want?"

"Well..." and the cat stood up, "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Byakkouen, sworn guardian and ally to the most powerful warrior ever lived in Japan, the Legendary Samurai, Kaos."

Ryo's face went blank.

"I was sent here in the name of Kaos' spirit to find the nine diffused powers he released from Arago's armor to guide whoever receives them. I was looking for them for almost a year now... and it was only today when they reacted since the Dynasty is already planning to conquer the world once more..."

"Arago?"

"He is the leader of the Evil Dynasty. A samurai-sorcerer who wanted all in this world to be in his possession. He has once had a very big army but all of them were defeated by Kaos alone... and that was 400 years ago..."

But instead of being surprised or amazed by Byakkouen's story, Ryo's face is still BLANK. His only reaction? "Wow... talk about tall tales..."

"If that's a tall tale, how would you explain a TALKING CAT like me, eh???"

He gulped. "But... isn't that way too 'UNREALISTIC'?"

The cat just sighed. "Then can you guess why I'm here in front of you begging for your help?"

"Whoe, I didn't realized that... What's your point, anyway?"

"Now this is serious..." then taking a deep breath ready to announce something to Ryo that will bring a shock of his life, "Ryo Sanada... you are being chosen by one of the diffused powers to be its new master. In short... you are a SAMURAI PHANTOM!"

And at last, Ryo's once emotionless face turned into amazement and at the same time... disbelief.

"You're... kiddin' me..."

"If I'm kidding you, then how would you explain a..."

"A TALKING CAT like you asking for help of a human? Yeah, right!"

"Good! You understand it already..."

"I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND EVEN A SINGLE LETTER YOU SAY!!!"

"That's because you don't want to listen, that's all!"

"GACK!"

Realizing that he was just defeated by their debate, he just sighed heavily and lied on his bed.

"And by the way..." Byakkouen continued, "Don't try to convince yourself that everything here is a dream. It's the truth and you must face it! Because if you still don't get it, then how would you explain what happened to you last year?"

"What do you mean...?'

"Ever since last year you have already possessed an incredible mental ability because of the samurai power possessed in you: You could actually read people's minds and hearts even at 200 kilometers away..."

Upon hearing the cat's guess, Ryo suddenly got up with surprise, "How did you..."

"I have an ability to sense a samurai power and for that I can also sense one's mental ability by his power. Now, can you still explain that?"

Ryo went silent, staring at the cat.

He thought at himself: the cat was right. Everything that was happening to him since last year is absolutely TRUE. No visual effects. No daydreaming. Everything has just happened.. And for him, it will going to get WORSE.

_(To Episode Eleven! Please R&R! Thanks!)_


	12. Episode Eleven: The Origin

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Eleven: THE ORGIN**

The strange conversation between a human and an animal continued in Ryo's bedroom.

"Four hundred years ago," the cat began, "Master Kaos and I had been succeeded in defeating Arago, supreme samurai of evil, by capturing all the 100 onis he created to destroy the beauty of the earth and resore it as his own with terror. Using the Blessed Golden Box that the deities had given him, we managed to seal them all in the box and putting them to eternal slumber, but still we were not so sure of our triumph on that day, since Arago's armor remained intact. For this, using the combined powers of the armor and Kaos, he diffused its negative energy into positive ones, forming the nine diffused powers that he kept in his ceremonial staff, so when the time comes, he will just release it. But it will cost his own life since he also used his own energy unto them..."

"Nine diffused powers...?"

"Yes. These nine diffused powers were once came from the negative energy of Arago's armor. It all happened when Kaos' last descendant, Kayura, opened the Cursed Golden Box and thus all of the onis escaped and went into different places..."

"Onis...?"

"Those 100 onis were created by Arago to put fear and terror all over the world and to endure more power from himself so that it will be enough to destroy a single planet. Each oni has a different negative force or trait corresponding to the negative desires of mankind. But all of them were defeated by Kaos, himself! That's how powerful he is..."

Ryo can't help but to be amazed at Byakkouen's story.

"But that is... only until Kayura defeated him..."

"But how?" his amazement shortly gone.

"Kayura opened the box because he believed that someone lured her to do so. For that, when all the onis had escaped, one of them entered into her body and was turned into a demoness! And I am afraid that she will have now the opportunity to find all of them to revive the demolished Dynasty and Arago, himself!"

A shocked face.

"Four others also entered into the bodies of the four priests who were with her during the purification ritual... And after Kaos gave everything... they were never seen again. But as I know, Kayura will sure move out to carry the mission..."

"So?"

"So I have no choice but to fight her and stop her from gathering the onis... It's for her own good. After all, she is still too young to be like that... Hurting, isn't it?"

But instead of hearing a reply, the cat noticed Ryo's silence.

That moment Ryo remembered the news he had just heard from the radio of the school clinic a while ago, and the time his mental ability worked on it, when he saw the victim crying for held while being swallowed by the cursed painting. He might have guessed that...

'The painting... in the museum..." in almost whisper.

"How about the painting in the museum?" the cat asked.

"The painting... it happen'd to be... ALIVE... and I can feel it..."

Upon hearing it, Byakkouen became eager to listen. "What's in the painting?"

He bowed his head and sighed, "Well... This might sound as strange as you are, but..." then turning to the cat, "By the way, have ya heard of the news 'bout the painting entitled 'The Goddess of the River'?"

Byakkouen just winced, "Heh, that's what I'm trying to tell you about that mystery, that's why I came here to ask for your help!"

Ryo winced too, "Then WHY ya didn't tell me earlier?"

But instead of answering the question, "Anyway," Byakkouen jumped off from the bed, "At least you have used your special ability to know that something's behind the painting!"

"A special ability..." he groaned, "Yeah, right, that ability that made me almost crazy..." and lied down on his bed again, "Man... so that's why I'm always experiencin' paranormal ever since last year... Damn, dunno why this must happen to me..."

"Sorry if I surprise you so early..." and grinned.

Ryo got up again, "And WHAT'S so funny? And does it have any connection to you or to Kaos?"

"Well..." and he took a little catwalk, "It just so happened that destiny is preparing you fro an event that even you cannot refuse."

"Preparing me for what?"

"To be a SAMURAI PHANTOM, of course!"

"Oh..."

The chirping of the birds in the mid-afternoon filled the silence.

To make these things in a hurry, he decided to ask another good question. "Okay... Now, what do you mean I possess with one of the nine diffused powers?"

In serious tone the cat replied:

"As I told you a while ago, the nine diffused powers were emitted from the combined powers of Arago's spiritual armor and Kaos' spiritual energy to continue his mission by finding the right people who have enough will and strength to revive one of them, and use them as their own source of power. They were divided into two groups: the first five diffused energies containing five Confucian virtues: JIN or benevolence, GI or justice, REI or courtesy, SHIN or trust, and CHI or wisdom. These five virtues are also possessing one elemental power according to their virtue: REKKA or raging fire, or simply wildfire, coming from any burning source like the sun or volcanoes; KONGO, iron or diamond, as known as hardrock, depicting the powers of the earth; KORIN or halo, one of the branches of light, also taking its source from lightning; SUIKO or torrent, originating its power from any water source, and TENKU, firmament, or simply heaven, controlling air, known as strata. The remaining four are the four Bushido virtues: CHU or loyalty, KO or filial piety, NIN or endurance, and TEI, obedience. These four also have a corresponding power each: ONI or corruption, represents spring; YAMI or darkness, the synonym of winter; GEN or illusion, that denotes summer; and DOKU, poison, that closely deals with fall or autumn. These nine diffusions also have feelings like Kaos, seeming that his feelings were divided equally among them to ensure the success of his mission, the least he can do to stop the Dynasty from resuming their existence after four hundred years..."

"FOUR HUNDRED YEARS???" at last Ryo reacted hysterically, "Come ON! I was not even born at THAT time!"

"Unbelievable, but true" Byakkouen continued, "It was four hundred years ago since the Evil Dynasty was founded by Arago, and the one behind the existence of the onis. And as I said, Kaos managed to defeat him and sealed all of them for good, thus the Dynasty was destroyed..."

"Did you say that Kaos defeated Arago 400 years ago? And yet you said that Kaos dissappeared in front of you just a year ago? Man, you're confusin' me!"

"Okay, okay... to make it clear, Kaos lived four hundred years ago and his immortality just made him like that, as I am!"

Ryo froze with surprise. "Are you tryin' to say that you're already FOUR HUNDRED YEARS OLD???"

"Older than that!"

"ACK! Now that's the worst..." and he leaned against the wall, "...What's next?"

"Hmm... where was I?" the cat was just thinking about where he had stopped, "Yeah, right... As I said, one of the diffusions chose you as its wearer and as its user because of your determination glowing like blazing fire, though you never noticed it..."

"Yeah, whatever...", but hearing the cat's testimonial, "Blazing fire? How could you be so sure? You mean I can make fire without burnin' myself?"

"Like DUH??? Just get up there and look at the mirror! You will see something..."

"Just make sure that you will never scare me again!" Ryo assured. And he got up and stood in front of his body mirror like nothing. "Then?"

"Look at your forehead from the mirror," the cat ordered. Ryo then followed. And with wide eyes... he saw his own forehead glowing: he saw a strange red mark glowing on his forehead, burning like a candleflame.

Ryo was stucked in disbelief seeing the strange kanji in his head, "Hey, Kitty... what have ya done to me..."

"H-hey-hey!" Byakkouen protected himself, "Don't blame me! It's the diffused power or Rekka that has chosen you, even me I didn't know who they had just chosen! As I told you a while ago, thede diffused powers..."

"Yeah, yeah, have their own feelings that they can choose the rightful person to be its user..." Ryo had almost memorized what Byakkouen was always saying again and again. "I know that already! But hey... you said that Rekka chose me... Is Rekka also one of them?"

"Yes, and it is the first one. The diffused power Rekka holds the power of fire, and it is represented by the virtue of Jin, or benevolence, that's already on your forehead..."

Ryo stared on his forehead, still his kanji is glowing but starting to fade away. He remembered the time when he first discovered his mental ability. And now... he remembered also the meteor shower that he saw that morning, that only him who saw it, no one else.

Suddenly his necklace began to shine. Puzzled, he took it while tucked inside his shirt and emitted more red light when he took it out. With so much light, his hair flew like ebony hued in red.

"What's... happenin'????"

Seconds later, his necklace stopped shining. Panting, he asked Byakkouen: "Hey, Kitty! Whatta heck just happen'd?"

"It seems that your Samurai Orb has just reacted by your kanji in your forehead..." he answered calmly.

"Samurai... Orb...?" in wonder. Looking at his pendant meticulously while holding it, "But I just saw it in my stufftoy's lap a year ago! I didn't even know how in the world did it get here..."

Again Ryo remembered that scene when he found the orb on his stuffed tiger's lap and it was the last time he witnessed it shining to dry him up.What confuses his mind is that why only this year that the crystal will have finally have its use.

Connecting to these unexpected mishaps and what happened last year, he then finally realized...

"Kitty... don't tell me..." he looked shocked, "As if you're appointin' me as a SUPERHERO?"

The cat just grinned, "Why? Have you noticed it just NOW???"

"WHATTA HECK ARE YA DOIN' TO ME???", he picked up the poor cat and shook it like looking for a coin to jangle up! "Ya mean that bein' a Samurai Phantom or whatever's like bein'a superhero??? GET REAL, KITTY! I-WILL-NOT-DO-IT! I won't, did ya hear that??? I'm just a normal junior high freak who just wanna pass on that stupid English subject just in order for me to get out of that misin' school! And then ya want me to DIE just to save the world? COUNT ME OUT!"

"It seems that you finally realized it!" Byakkouen said with a smile, "Good for you... Samurai Phantom Rekka!"

"And WHAT KIND OF PUN IS THAT???" still jerked up.

"That will be your codename, silly!" Byakkouen replied in a snap, "You as the guardian of Wildfire and bearer of the virtue of benevolence. Isn't that nice?"

"NICE??? Snap out of it!" and putting the cat away, Ryo went back to his bed.

"And since yiu have realized it at last... your first mission is waiting for you!" and he winked.

Ryo stood up immediately still with anguish face, "FIRST MISSION??? RIGHT AWAY??? I told ya to count me out and yet.. Oh, c'mon, Kitty..."

"IT'S BYAKKOUEN, NOT KITTY!"

"Hey, I know it! You don't need to shout, Kitty!"

"I SAID..." but realizing that Ryo had already intending it to call him 'Kitty' (hey, it sounds so adorable, waht's the problem with that?), he just sighed. "Anyway... yes, it's your first mission. You told me on your mind-reading that you saw the missing museum guard being swallowed up by Tsukabashi's last work yet screaming for help. And this is it: tonight you will go to the museum to seal the oni in it and save the man. Confirmative: an ONI is behind this!"

"WHAT???"

-----

_(Oh yeah, to be continued. Don't worry, people, episode twelve will be up soon!_

_Oh, by the way: SALAMAT PO (Thank you) to my first reviewers, at last someone reviewed my work!:_

_**Yume No Anime**: He-he... I understand. Yeah it will took you a little long time to the point, but read this episode you will understand, kei? In this episode you will know even a little about the onis and you can get to know them one by one as the story progresses. Just wait a little bit. kei! SALAMAT PO!_

_**darkangel507: **I know you're waiting enough for the other chapters but it won't take long! You know, a little busy at school but I'm trying my best to finish it for you! Want some action? He-he, two episodes left plus an epilogue! Just wait for it, kei? You think it's cool? WOW! SALAMAT DIN PO!_

_Wow! I think I'm goin' to cry! Episode Twelve will be here soon! Please continue to R&R! Thanks a lot!!!)_


	13. Episode Twelve: The Plan

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Twelve: THE PLAN **

"WHAT???" Ryo jumped with glare, "You want ME to come there by MYSELF on closin' time just to seal the oni??? Get real, Kitty! They might mistak'n me for a thief! Forgettaboutit, will ya?"

The cat just shook his head, "Tsk-tsk-tsk... you really don't know anything, do you? Don't you remember that you came from a family of ninjas? Absolutely you can do what a ninja can do!"

Ryo glared with sweatdrop, "H... How did ya know 'bout that...?"

Byakkouen grinned, "Ah-ah-ah! Don't you underestimate this kitty here! Ever since you saved my life, I've always watching you, so I only knew it a while ago!"

"Yeah, right..." he snorted.

"Anyway," and the cat continued his lecture, "The oni you are going to seal is the Oni of Art. Obviously it attacks some of the most beautiful and rarest artworks, mostly paintings, as its medium, and it uses the artwork's nature to lure someone with a weak heart. The victim then will be trapped in the painting's world and cannot be brought back to devour its energy to be converted as its own. The more human energy it will took, the more impossible for the victim to be saved, and the more powerful the oni will become..."

"...And what will happen if it becomes overdosed with human energy?"

Seriously, "...If the oni have already enough human energy stored in its vital source, it will finally wake up from the painting and it will return to its original form. As soon as that happened, it will turn everything in the museum into an artworld that it can take you in as its prisoner... and it will never let you out alive..."

Ryo gulped. "Now... that's scary..."

"And obviously", the cat continued, "Your mission is to seal all of the 100 onis escaped in the Golden Box once again, by using another special box!"

"What box?" puzzled.

Suddenly, Byakkouen jumped into the air, tumbled, thus created a magical item to be presented for Ryo. It appeared as a small silver box adorned with a kanji paper--probably a sealer.

"...THAT box?" he became more puzzled.

"This is the box that you must suppose to use to seal the onis. Kaos gave me this before he disappeared."

Ryo took the little box. "Frankly," he looked at it carefylly with frustration, "This even might not help! How can you seal all 100 onis with THIS li'l box? Only one will fit into this..."

"You're right..." Byakkouen sighed heavily, "That's what I want to ask him but he disappeared immediately so I haven't got any chance to know... But I guess it's up to me on how I could deal with it..."

"Oh..."

"And by using that, it is where you will seal the onis, of course. Just to make sure that you will do it right away or Kayura's soldiers will be ahead of you..."

"You mean I still hafta FIGHT?"

"Of course, seahorse!"

He grumbled secretly, "Damn it, I knew it..."

"I hear that!"

"GACK!"

"What's the use of your power if you DON'T use it? Whether you like it or not, you STILL have to fight them. It's just nature to that!"

"I know that, Kitty! But to FIGHT? Man, you don't understand, I mean, HELLO? I-AM-NOT-BORN-TO-FIGHT! I'm just..."

"...A junior high freak who just want to pass the English subject just to get out of that mising school?"

"And just WHO told you to memorize my line?"

"I do!"

He grumbled more that it forced him to lie again, "Yeah, whatever, I give up..."

"Just let me finish, okay?"

"Sure, why not..." and he yawned.

"Okay... as I just said a while ago, you have no choice but to fight them. You have to stop your enemy in reviving evil once more using your powers to fight..."

"What if I accidentally BURNED the museum?"

"Well... that's YOUR problem!"

"My PROBLEM???", Ryo put the box down, picked the cat up and stared at him, "In the first place you're tellin' me everythin' 'bout that stupid samurai thing! Ya don't even gave me time to prepare myself and yet IT'S MY PROBLEM???"

"It's just a simple logic, silly!" Byakkouen voiced out, "Of course you must be careful with your powers! Otherwise you can damage something or even hurt someone! Come on, Ryo, don't be a kitten! Are you still doubting about your powers? Don't you TRUST me?"

"Forgettaboutit, Kitty...", still staring, "I'm not goin'..."

"Just think about this, Ryo: If we don't move right away, soon the whole world will be fell under Kayura and everything you will see right now and everyday will turn into total chaos! I'm not frightening you, but it is the reality and only you and soon-to-be comrades can save it, as Kaos did four hundred years ago... You don't want to see your friends in danger, do you?"

His friends?

Ryo thought about it. Talking about his friends, Byakkouen was right. Since he was totally orphaned at the age of ten, the only family he had (aside from his grandparents) is his friends at school. Jumbo and Chibi became his classmates and friends since the sixth grade. The twins and Luna just only last year. Back then they are the only ones Ryo treasured since his gandparents moved him every year or two to another school with some complicated reasons.

And no! Not just them, but other people as well, and all here in this world, homeless or not. Earth is the only home of all living and he doesn't want to see himself and others living on Mars!

But it will be useless, too. The Evil Dynasty wants the WHOLE universe... all by itself.

Slowly, Ryo put the cat down, sighed and stood up, looking down to him. "Now Byakkouen," he addressed the cat in his name, "Tell me what I must do."

"THAT'S an answer!", Byakkouen beamed with joy as he jumped into Ryo's arms by surprise!

"Hey...! Ya don't hafta jump like that just because I accept it already!"

"Come on, this can happen only once! Remember: I'M a cat!" and really like an ordinary cat, he purred gently towards his new master. Ryo just siged.

"...Oh, brother...!"

-----

After almost an hour of explaning to the poor raven-haired boy who was still a little clueless of his destiny, Ryo put the cat down to let him finally lay down his plan.

"We will start attacking by midnight, although the museum closes at seven, because the personnel might see us if we do that so early, they might mistaken us as thieves as you might feared..."

The listener just snorted.

"All of the paintings are in the second floor, so obviously we will not enter in the front door. We will do that by the window..."

"Are ya kiddin'? How can we enter to a window if that's closed?"

"Don't you STILL trust me? Surely I will go with you as your assistant! We will open the window by my magic and that's it! After that we can seal the oni's power now, just be careful not to be tempted by the pantings, especially the cursed one."

"U-huh... And how will we do it?"

"There's another ability you have, Ryo: since you are the first Samurai Phantom, you have an ability to seal all the onis and put them in the silver box. I will just tell you further instructions as soon as we get there..."

"Yeah, right..."

"And remember one thing: We have to be careful not to be caught by the Dynasty's men, or you will be forced to fight them. Of course, the purpose of having a power is to fight evil, right?"

Ryo nodded as the planning has ended.

"Good!" and the cat ran to the door, "Then we will wait until midnight!'

"Oh, man..." Ryo hung his head low with frustration, "Do we still hafta? I mean, waitin' till midnight? Man, I'm already asleep by eleven!"

"Well, we have to! What's the purpose of being a phantom, eh? Attacking by DAY? Isn't that obvious?"

"Great..."

"And of course, to have you more time to rest! What's the purpose of being taken you home? Is it because of your headache?"

"It's because of YOU, Kitty..."

"Yeah, whatever... Okay! Everything's clear! But before that..."

"What?" he turned to the cat, puzzled.

The cat's brown eyes became domesticated, "Please give me more fish! I'm STARVING!!!"

Ryo fell over in disbelief!

Well, he have nothing to do but to feed the cat with his must-have-been-his-lunch. Surely, Byakkouen is SO demanding, especially if he have already adopted him as Ryo's pet. Poor him...

-----

_(Okay! It's already up and it's gatting a little exciting! Oh, well, wait for Episode thirteen to be uploaded! Please R&R! Thanks!!!)_


	14. Episode Thirteen: The Debut

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Thirteen: THE DEBUT**

Three minutes before midnight.

A silhouette of a man with long flowing hair appeared on a tree just a little distance from the museum. The moonlight softly hued his image with his face unseen by the blocking night like a living shadow. His unusual attire made him more mysterious as he gazed at the window of the second floor of the building. It seems that the museum is like a haunted one especially when all of its lights are closed.

"It sure is..." in his manly, yet haunting voice, "The time for the oni to be awaken has finally arrived. Kayura will be very pleased..."

And a grin was seen on his shadowy face, suspected that there will be trouble...

-----

The time for Ryo and Byakkouen has finally arrived. It was already two minutes before the bell for midnight, but that time is already enough for them to attack for Ryo's first-ever mission as a Samurai Phantom.

The Toyama Museum was fully closed, only the guards can be seen from the outside and some were inside for overnight patrolling. Only the flashlights provide a little light from the opposite window, where the two were on the top of another tree just beside the window of the second floor of the museum. The whole place inside is pitch dark and it will become lively again the next morning where the museum will be open again to the public.

Only if... the public can still visit amidst the ghastly incidents occuring.

From a tree, the two were waiting for the right time to come for them to execute their mission. "Everything's clear..." the cat said as he looked aroung the building inside and out, "Ryo, get ready!"

"Do we really hafta climb here?" he grumbled.

"Oh, come on, don't muffle already! We have to or the guards might see us! Surely you don't want to be called a thief, do you?"

"It's not on my face..." he snorted.

The cat grinned a little. "Lucky for you, you can climb a tree..."

"'Of course, I am!" he boasted, "I'm the fastest tree climber durin' my grade school years..."

"Simple reason: because YOU'RE a ninja!"

"Yeah, right, a ninja if a ninja..."

"Okay..."

Right in front of them from the window, they saw their own target: the last painting by Tsukabashi Kohei, 'The Godess of the River'.

"That's it!" Byakkouen snapped out, "The cursed painting! Can you feel the negative energy within it?"

Ryo gulped. "Dunno, but... yeah... and it gives me the shivers... Dunno how I did it, but..."

"That's because your Samurai Orb feels it, too, so you also have the ability to feel it just by looking at it... And because it's now the right time for the oni to find its new victim... Okay now, after you had transformed yourself, we will proceed immediately..."

Ryo froze for a while. "Hey, did I hear that right? You mean: TRANSFORM?"

"Yeah? What's the problem about that?"

"Into what?"

"Into a Samurai Phantom, silly!'

"Man, do I really hafta..."

"No More Questions! Hurry up or the Dynasty might caught us!"

"Yes, sir..." he sighed as he took his necklace from his shirt, "...Man, till now I still can't believe that I'll absolutely doin' this..."

"Right, good for you," the cat doesn't seem to care at all, "Okay, Phantom Rekka! Time for you to show up! Transform now!"

One minute before midnight.

"And how?" Ryo asked.

"You should use a secret phrase," Byakkouen instructed while watching over the painting, "That will serve as a password to open its sacred gateway for releasing its aura in order for you to absorb and use while sealing the oni and fight the Dynasty. And the secret phrase is..." the cat turned to Ryo seriously...

_"Phantom of Wildfire: **Dao Jin!**"_

Ryo went blank.

"Phantom of... what?" it seems that he doesn't get it.

"Don't you play dumb!" the cat pissed off, "Won't you jus do it now???"

"Hey!" Ryo calmed him down, "Ya don't hafta shout at me or the Dynasty might hear us, 'kay???"

The cat went blue and sighed. Well, he just threw it back to the one who threw him the same lines... almost.

Finally, Ryo decided to try it. "Okay... I think this will be the Samurai Phantom's debut concert..." and without hesitation, he held his pendant closely to his heart, closed his eyes, cleared all the negative and nuisance thoughts and breathe deeply, as the clock finally strikes twelve...

"**Phantom of Wildfire: DAO JIN!!!**"

"DING-DONG-DING-DONG!!!"

As the bells boomed in the evening air, and as he uttered the last word, the crystal suddenly glow with bright red. Its aura scattered in their surroundings and the scenery turned into a world of fire, leaving Ryo alone floating almost unconscious.

He saw himself as a floating plain silhouette, his civillian clothes disappeared in his body, unconciously spinning around as tongues of fire are starting to touch his skin. Once touched, his shadowy self burned out, revealing his whole naked body, absorbing the fire energy surrounding him with the help of the orb he wore. The orb then slowly disappears and turned into flaming energy so hot that only the gods of fire can stand its heat. The fire energy then was converted into flowing fire satin which covered his whole body. From then it turned into a black seethrough fitted top, followed by a pair of black baggy pants higlighted in red. Then the remaining flaming satin covered his both hands and feet and turned into maroon hand protectors and rubber shoes and another covered him again, this time it forms into a red sleeveless top. And in the four remaining satin sheets, two of them formed into twin katanas in red handle, his main weapons, and wielded them, as the last two satin pieces wrapped his waist and neckline to form a satin scarf and belt floating in the warm wind. As a final touch, his insignia: a four-petal flower shaped like diamonds, appeared on the left side of his shirt. Wielding the twin katanas again, a shower of cherry blossoms led him to land on a fiery surface and the moment he landed, the flames die out, giving way to him to pose with a glare and a smile on his face...

...Thus tranformation complete!

Looking at himself after the enchantment, from head to foot: He didn't change physically. Only his chothes were changed. His face turned a speechless expression.

"Tell me, Kitty... what... happened to me...?"

"Simple," as Byakkouen said, "You had just transformed into Samurai Phantom Rekka, bearer of Wildfire!"

With his expression, Phantom Rekka (since Ryo had already transformed into one) seems that he wanted to collapse again in disbelief. But Byakkouen seems that he noticed it immediately.

"Not now, silly!" he snorted, "Just do it after we've finish our business here!"

Rekka's face turned awkward, "Gosh..." lowering his head and sighed, "Why must this ALL happen to me..."

"Enough complaning! Let's go!"

"Whatever..."

-----

_(Episode fourteen coming up! Sorry if I have to chop the story like this, please BEAR WITH ME... Oh well, Please keep on R&R! Thanks!!!) _


	15. Episode Fourteen: The Big Trap

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Fourteen: The Big Trap**

Suddenly the mysterious man felt something from the opposite side... or even, someone.

He looked at his east side. He believed that he felt something from there. But instead of being alarmed, he just smiled with great confidence.

"I see..." he said to himself, "Finally, he came. I knew it.... Who could possibly thought that this day will came for a phantom like me?..."

And with his magic, he opened the opposite window and came in without anyone noticed, not even the owls, nor the full moon...

-----

Phantom Rekka and Byakkouen have managed to enter immediately through the window opened by the cat's magic. As expected, the whole second floor housed all the most beautiful and the rarest paintings collected from various parts of the world. As they entered...

"Man, this is so COOL!" Rekka exclaimed as he roamed around the big hall seeing all the paintings, "They're seem so... real!"

Bu Byakkouen didn't enjoy the exhibit at all. "I'm just reminding you that we are here in this museum NOT to make a sight-seeing trip BUT for our mission..."

"Oh, c'mon, Kitty, don't be a killjoy! It's just a once-of-a-lifetime experience, y'know? I've never been in a museum before, so... Damn! Just think how lucky I am!" still feasting his eyes on some works of art.

"Lucky because you are already a Samurai Phantom... AHA! So that's your reason why you accept your destiny that easy!"

"It's not! Of course, I'm a PROFESSIONAL!"

"Oh, Really?" the cat sneered, "Now I know why you are not that CULTURED at all..."

"Do you want me to eat you???" he threatened. But upon coming across something more important, he stopped and turned wide-eyed.

"Hey! Did you see something?" Byakkouen assured. He, too, stopped and his brown eyed were shocked on something that Rekka was feasting on...

...'The Goddess of the River'.

He stood still looking at the painting as if he was enchanted by the woman bathing in beautiful clear waters. His eyes only fixed on her angelic face, as seen obviously in his blushing face. "It's... beautiful..."

But then his amazement cut short when he saw something from the river in the painting... Four poor faces of men drowning. He then remembered about what he had heard from the radio this morning and what he had discovered in his mind-reading session. And in pale face...

"These faces... they were the missing men!"

Byakkouen noticed Rekka who seemed to have fallen in love with the woman in the painting. "Hey!" he called, "Hold your emotions, Rekka! Remember your mission!"

He was finally awake, "W-what?" then checking himself, "Oh, yeah, right, the oni!" Then, trying to forget the beauty and the horridness of the painting for the sake of saving the people, "Sorry, lady!" he said, wielding his swords, "But it's part of my job and I hafta..."

"Too late for you..." the woman suddenly spoke! And it immediately turned into her original form to get him!

"Rekka, WATCH OUT!!!" but too late for him, as the woman said. For he didn't noticed it on time, the witch of the painting sucessfully grabbed him with her pale claws!

Rekka struggled to free himself, but with no avail. Six pale hands came out and seized him: two on his arms, his torso and on his head, forcing him to be pulled in. With so much struggle, Rekka accidentally dropped one of his katanas, thus Byakkouen went meowing and meowing with much worry.

"I...can't...move...!" Rekka complained in pain.

"Hang on there!" Byakkouen was planning to save him! He attacked one on the oni's hands and bit into it deeply (surely it didn't taste good, but he has no other choice...). The oni screamed in pain. With rage, one of its free hands slapped the poor little cat so hard that he flew away and bumped on the wall, leaving him almost unconscious!

"BYAKKOUEN!!!" Rekka became too furious on what the oni did to the cat. "Why you..." he continued to force himself to be released but the oni is quite strong it was still pulling him so hard, making him shout with pain.

Rekka was still trying his guts to get out of the oni's grasp but it was holding him so tight he barely couldn't breathe easily.

Suddenly...

"HELP ME!!!"

He froze a bit. Someone's calling for help.

"HELP ME!!! LET ME OUT OF HERE, I'M BEGGING YOU!!!"

He recognized the voice. It's the voice of the museum guard!

Then an idea came into his mind. It might be very hard for him and for Byakkouen, but he thought that nothing will happen unless he don't give it a try. Is he trying to sacrifice himself in order to save the man?

He finally made up his mind, though not sure on what will happen after this. So he tried to call the cat from the outside, "Byakkouen! Kitty! Can you hear me???"

Meanwhile Byakkouen tried to get up despite of the pain upon hearing Rekka's voice, and he shook his head vigorously. "Re...Rekka?" he called, "Rekka? Is that you? Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" he responded.

"Good!" and he tried to go near the wildened oni, "I'll get you out of there, just hang on!"

"Kitty! Listen to me!"

"What?"

"Try to wait there! I'll go inside!"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND???"

"I've finally decided to go! I hafta save the men inside before they turn into this oni's foodstuff!"

"But... how about you?"

"Don't worry about me, Kitty! Remember: I'M A NINJA!"

"But..."

"Man, don't you TRUST me???"

The cat, then, didn't respond. But his emotionless face could determine that what Rekka will do is probably, for him, a BIG mistake.

"Ok! I'm goin' now!"

"Rekka!"

"Don't worry! I'll come back with the men! Wait there, 'kay?"

"But, Rekka!"

But Rekka didn't hear the cat's plea. With willingness to save the victims of the oni, his forehead kanji of JIN glowed in brightly red, ready to be swallowed in the oni's lair. And as the pale, ghastly hands slowly pulled him inside, his image slowly disappears, too, in the black hole made in the painting. So was his voice. Not even a little whisper was heard from him.

And the hole in the painting is starting to close slowly. The evil energy is fading away, until in just a few minutes, the dimensional gate was finally closed...

And Rekka was no more.

Byakkouen was the only one left behind in the pitch-dark hall of the second floor of the museum. Only the moon provides a little soft light that evening, where only the howls of the spooky owl and the domestic dogs can be heard.

The cat finally felt loneliness in the room. And shock. Grief. Anger. As his shrill catvoice chorused with the owls and dogs...

"REKKA, YOU STUPID!!!!!!!"

-----

_(Onward to Episode Fifteen! Please keep on R&R! Few episodes left to finish!)_


	16. Episode Fifteen: The Phantom of Cruelty

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Fifteen: The Phantom of Cruelty**

The town's clock tower rang its bell to signal that it has been fifteen minutes past twelve.

Byakkouen was there alone, with butterflies in his stomach. Still he couldn't believe that his just-newly-appointed Samurai Phantom had just been swallowed by the oni's world in his own will. What was he thinking at that time? He may did that to save the four victims inside but the cat's concern also in Rekka's safety, since he is just new to this mission, and it was only today that he discovered who he really was.

But too bad that fate has decided his untimely end...

...Or is he?

Despite of his headache he had from his bad bump, the cat ran towards the painting with feline rage and bumped himself against the cursed painting! "You MONSTER!" he shouted at the painting, "Let go of him, you, you... ACK! Let Rekka go! Let them go! Or I'll eat you! Put them down, you..."

But with no avail.

Unmindful that the guards might see him destroying the external beauty of the painting, and of his aching little head, Byakkouen continued to bump against it, hoping that the Oni of Art inside might respond to his meows and bumps so that the portal will open again for him. But his hopes failed him. There was no respond at all.

The poor feline stopped for a while to catch a breath but with unchanged anguish striped face.

"Damn it!" he whispered, almost in tears, "If I wasn't turn into this, it will not happen thisto Ryo! It's all my fault! I must have told him earlier about his destiny so that at least I could train him for this! I didn't explain to him EVERYTHING! I'm so stupid!" then bowing his head, sniffing, "Only if my magic is enough to open the portal, I could follow him for sure..."

"...Then how can you actually do that if you were that small?"

"Agh! What's the use of being a guardian to him if I..."

Before he could finish, he realized something. That deep voice only means that someone was there for almost minutes from now. To make sure...

"Who's that? Answer me!"

"If you were looking for me," the voice answered, "I'm just right here... in front of you..."

Byakkouen turned around to the man and saw someone walking towards him. Within the darkness of the room is a figure of a man in fine structure, with long flowing hair, wearing in a somewhat semi-oldstyle samurai outfit. The soft moonlight revealed the man's face that made the cat's eyes widened and in deep surprise...

For it seems that he _knew _that man so much...

And he KNEW him as well.

The cat tried to speak, "T-To... Toshi...tada...?"

The man smiled in reply... "It's been a while... _Byakkouen_..."

-----

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Phantom Rekka found himself screaming and falling into the deep darkness, unsure of where the Fates will take him since the place is so pointless and darkness has no end. His throat was already in intense pain due to so much screaming that almost no voice came into his mouth anymore.

"Darn it!" his heart cursed while his physical mouth continues to scream at the top of his lungs, "Looks like I'll fall for the rest of my life! WHERE'S THAT DAMN END ANYWAY??? My throat's been ripped off now! I can't hear them anymore! Where in this hell could they be??? WHEN WILL I STOP FALLIN' LIKE THIS???"

But then, suddenly, he finds himself floating in the darkness. Still there, but it seems that there is some sort of pressure has stopped him from falling vigorously. Puzzled by this sudden event, he decided to just ride on with the Fates on where they will take him. He was very sure that the incident just occured only proved that the core to the men's whereabouts is near. He was just hoping that his theoryis right.

And he really was...right.

"HELP...US...HELP...US...!"

Finally, though not that clear, he can hear the missing men from somewhere. Now what is now unclear is that where in the world are they. He continued to search through his ears.

"HELP...! HELP US...! PLEASE...!"

Their voices arenot yet clear to him. So he decided to call them from afar.

"YOOHOO! Anyone there? Answer me!"

"WE'RE HERE...!"

"Where?"

"UP HERE...!"

"What?"

He looked up above but saw nothing. He continued to call. "But... But I can't see you! Where are you, anyway???"

"HERE...! UP HERE...!"

So he searched from up above. And there he discovered something weird. Something was moving from up there. He tried to get near the strange thing but the loss of pressure and gravity and too much darkness almost prevented him from getting there as fast as he could. He hoped that someone is up there seeking for his help.

And once again... he's right.

But the scenario that stucked Rekka was the condition of the four missing men: they were all tied up with grudely pale hands, hanging them in their hands, unable to escape due to fear of their surroundings. Their cries were full of despair and hopelessness, and now they were only depending on the help of others, only if someone will came to save them.

And as they prayed for... Rekka came to save them.

"Hang on, please!", he called them, "I'll just get those hands off you! Just give me a sec!"

But alas, the hands made a reaction to the newly-arrived voice, as it seems that a new victim came. Extra pale hands streched from above and attacked him!

Phantom Rekka became in panic, thinking that he will be the poor fifth victim. But then he felt something in his right hand: He only realized that he still has one sword to be used against them. _Talk about swords... _He thought, _Damn it! Why I didn't realized that?_

Finally, the former panicking Samurai Phantom'skanji of benevolenceglowed brightly red on his forehead, a sign that he's now ready to kick some butt on those ghost hands. "Sorry..." and wielding his katana, "If I were you, I hafta wash my hands first before eatin'!"

And he charged the attacking hands while the men were trembling that something worse might happen to them...

-----

Byakkouen, upon seeing the man named Toshitada, ran to him with joy, "I'm so glad that you're alive!" he beamed, "You could never guessed how happy I..."

But upon reaching him, Toshitada slapped him! The cat flew away and fell on the floor.

Byakkouen cannot believe what his 'old friend' had done to him. "But... why...?" in a puzzled yet worried look.

"You know what?" Toshitada walked towards him, "I pity you so much. How can a once-a-ferocious white tiger be turned by Kaos into a helpless little cat that does nothing so special but to talk?"

"Kaos has a reason that even I doesn't know!" he tried to get up, "Whatever that is... I don't have a right to question about it! And you? You have... changed a lot..."

"Thanks to your MASTER's foolishness... now that I have an unlimited power I deserve..."

"...You sounded like Kayura when she was possessed by one of the onis!"

"...So do I..."

The cat was stunned by what Toshitada mean. The fateful incident has coming back into his mind when, aside from Kayura, the four priests were also been possessed by four onis of still unknown nature...

...And Toshitada, the reddsh-brown-haired leader of the priests, was one of them.

After that incident, they disappeared and were never seen again...

Until he came back. Not to help him... But to revive the Oni of Art for his new master, Arago, himself!

Byakkouen became paler upon reminiscing those events. "That's... awful..."

"Awful?" in his expression, Toshitada couldn't believe in his ears, "Is it awful to have a strength like this? Look at you! Kaos has turned you into a useless little creature though for four centuries you had been his loyal companion. You say that because you are JEALOUS of me..."

"A cat has never become jealous to a human! And never will! It's the law of nature!"

"Yes, the law of nature... But admit it, my friend, you are also looking foreward to his power for years, aren't you?"

"You know me, Toshitada: I AM loyal to Kaos!"

"But, my friend, too much loyalty will just mean betrayal to him!"

"No way!" almost in tears, "I cannot believe it... Is that REALLY you, Toshitada?"

"You even wonder about who I am..." unfortunately, he noticed Rekka's other katana lying on the velvetly-carpeted floor. He had only a plain expression, a simple smile, as if he already knew that this time will come that the heirs to thenine diffused powers are awakening one by one.

"It seems that you have found one of them..."

Surprised, "How... how did you know that?"

Toshitadachuckled a bit, "Oh, come on, Byakkouen! Don't tell me that Kaos didn't told you about something special regarding the nine diffusions..."

"...What?"

"That one diffusion can feel another whenever they are in pain, in trouble, in seclusion, or in joy..." as he created a darkred ball of energy from his weapon, a chained scythe, "That the diffused powers are internally connected to each other..."

"What are you planning to do???" the cat was stunned.

"Simple! I'll just destroy the painting after the Oni of Art have eaten its prey... And the I will take care of the rest..."

"WHAT???" in shock.

Smirking, "I know that your new master is inside that painting. A foolish act indeed..."

"Toshitada, NO!!!"

He was about to aim the scythe to the painting but instead he declined his attack that made Byakkouen in deep wonder.

"What..."

Toshitada gave a big laugh, "Did I scare you?"

The cat sighed heavily with great relief, "You fool... you scared me!" But then he gave a faint smile afterwards, "Hah... I knew it... I really thought..."

"You thought that I'm still the good, old Toshitada you used to know years ago..."

The little cat looked at his hardened face with awe.

"Are you still?"

The former priest smirked again. "You have changed a little, I see."

"What do you mean?"

"Since that incident, you have lost your pride and courage as a tiger-spirit. Kaos' disappearance left a great pain in your heart, that's why he turned you into a helpless little cat. Very cute, though..."

Byakkouen just stared at him blankly.

"I might stopped my attack on the painting tonight, but it doesn't mean that I'm through..."

The blank face slowly turned back with a face of pain and despair, lowering his head, "I see... you stopped because you're waiting for the oni to be awakened, am I right?"

Giggling again, "Your brain also turned slower nowadays..."

"Stop teasing me!"

"But it's the truth, isn't that right, Kitty?"

The cat's head lifted up as he heard what Toshitada called him. Not because anotherperson will tease him again like that, but his teary eyes will tell that...

"That pun... That's what you used to call me those days..."

"I see. You still didn't forget. Good for you..."

"No, it's not!"

Toshitada's calm face went in silence to give way to the cat's reasoning.

"I still believe that you ARE the Toshitada I used to know and played with! You call me Kitty still... The oni within you might changed your perspective as a human, but somewhere inside of you, you are STILL Toshitada! No power or any sorcery could change who you really are!"

"...Is that what you believe in?"

"Yes, it is! And it's up to you if you want to believe it or not!"

After a short pause, he just smiled faintly for an answer. "I believe that, too..."

His brown eyes lightened up, "...Really?"

"But..." raising his hand on the cat, "I believe more in my power I have now..."

Suddenly, Byakkouen, literally, froze. His whole body became paralized, unable to move even his eyelid. He even cannot able to talk! _What... what did you... _was only the heart could say.

Before Toshitada explained about it, he gave a mild laugh. "The curse that Kaos gave you surely made you slow-headed! But then I thank you for believing that I'm still that person you USED to know... Thanks for the memories, Kitty..."

The poor cat wasn't able to make a reaction out of Toshitada's cunning act. But his heart does. _I know this ability... Oh, no! He has the power of hypnosis, an ability to control body and mind in one wave of his hand... This means..._

One thing that made Byakkouen more stunned is when a light yellow kanji glowed on his forehead. The kanji called Chu, loyalty... one of the four Bushido virtues. _Toshitada... he is... a..._

Toshitada, then, noticed a strange, faint aura glowing around the cursed painting. He grinned, "It's about time..." turning himself to the painting, "The Oni of Art starts to free itself with the help of human energy it has stolen from its victims... And I guess, Kitty," turning to the frozen Byakkouen, "It seems that you will lose another master again..."

_No..._ was the cat's heart's short reply.

Turning to the painting again, Toshitada took grip of his weapon as he waited for the awful moment to come. _That's it... come, my servant, and let thyself be Kayura's great slave... Come, be in hurry! Destroy anyone who will stop you from turning this world into yours..._

The painting's aura slowly lightened up wildly...

-----

_(Phew! Waaahhh... sorry people if you waited too long... y'know, too many things to do at school. Well, anyway, this episode is done and what you will just do is to look forward on the next episode: Episode Sixteen! Don't forget to R&R, please! Thanks a lot! Man, I'm exhausted...)_


	17. Episode Sixteen: The Awakening of the Fl...

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Sixteen: The Awakening of the Flame**

Meanwhile in the dark realm, the ghostly hands were about to attack Phantom Rekka, but now with confidence to defeat them, wielding his sword, he sliced the hands one by one! The men were delighted a bit, although fear and panic were still in their hearts and minds, for as long as they are still in that dreaded place, they will not be relieved.

"Man... this is easy enough..." Rekka smirked as he continued to destroy all the hands blocking his way to save the men. But his confidence cut short when he was surprised to find out that the hands that he once cut off grows back to even longer and bigger sizes!

_No way! _he was stunned by the revival of the hands and their grip to the men became stronger, as the men shrieked more with terror. _I almost forgot... they're ghosts, that's why..._

Unnoticed, one hand stretched and attacked behind Rekka, thus it grabbed his right foot!

"AGH!" the hand gave him a vigorous swing, so fast that it made his tiger eyes a little blurred, _Damn, I'm gettin' wheelsick... _and unexpectedly, the hand tossed him somewhere else!

The men were surprised and became more panicked when their savior was tossed somewhere. Unsure of his whereabouts, they trembled more with fear, thinking that it's their end. Worse, the pale hands slowly evolved themselves into nastier ones: armored with scales and talons, ready to devour the helpless men to please the oni's appetite.

In other words, the Oni of Art is starting to revive itself! And yet it's not yet the time and the oni is yet to eat their human energy. But due to their intense fear and anxiety, surely it is already enough for the oni to be awakened even only just partially as its final stage of becoming alive again.

-----

Rekka, then, was floating in the middle of darkness once more, with pain in hin head. "Aw..." he grumbled, trying to get up, "Whatta ride..." then looking at the surrounding, he noticed that his other sword was nowhere to be seen! "Damn! It's suppose to be my last hope...!" but this might be lucky to him, when he finally found his katana floating a meter, more or less, away from him. "Phew!" he sighed with contentment, "I thought I already lost ya..." and he tried to swim across the darkness to get his katana, but the wheel of luck turned into the wrong direction as the evolved monster hands attacked him again from nowhere!

"Where did they come from???" and unable to reach for his sword, he first went away with the attacking claws. He tried to avoid them so that he could get his weapon freely, but it seems that the hands became faster and more cunning than the first time he encountered them. That was the only time he noticed it.

_And just when they just transformed themselves_???he thought, as he continued to avoid their attackswhile trying to reach the sword. But once again his lack of focus reigned in his heart asone monster hand grabbed his right hand this time!

_Not again_! And another hand grabbed his left, "Darn it! Let go of me, you..." but despite of his struggles, it's no avail. Until one finally made its full blow on his face! Rekka smirked with anger, unable to fight back. Another hand punched him on his stomach, on his arms, somwhere else that the oni pleases to. Rekka couldn't help it but to scream in pain. Bruises started to appear on his affected areas and blood is now present in his lips.

_Damn... I... can't... take this... any longer.... _as another hand punched him harder than the rest, the reason to cough more blood and saliva, _If this will continue... I might die in this dreaded place... Who wants to be a Samurai Phantom, anyway...? I didn't mean to be like this! Of all the people... why me... why...?_

Until he heard someone... again. But the snag, it's different. It's not the voice of one of those poor men. But, in his thought, could it be possible that there is still someone somewhere?

"_Papa_..."

Rekka was stunned at the voice of a little girl. He looked everywhere. But to his surprise, he's not already in the darkness. Wondered, he looked around, and it turned out to be a simple family house...

...But a house of sadness.

As he saw a girl of around six or seven sitting in the steps of their house, the girl with pigtails and in pink overalls was crying, calling his father.

"_Papa... Papa, where are you now... Papa..._"

Unnoticed that there were no clawed hands anymore that trapped him a while ago, Rekka decided to approach the girl to see if he could be of any help.

But before he could finally go near her, he saw something in the girl's hands...

...A picture frame.

He tried to see who is that picture. He knows that the one in the picture that the girl was holding since was her father. But looking closely...

_Is this... for real...?_

His eyes widened as he saw the man in the picture: It was actually one of the men, the museum guard who was the painting's last victim!

_Oh, my God... he was been lost for a day and yet they thought that he was DEAD? _He gasped as he saw the frame with a black ribbon, indicating that the one in the picture has just died recently. Rekka thought that the said man was already dead since he never came back after that incident.

Behind him is a crying old woman, sitting on a swing, calling her son's name in tears. Like the girl, she was holding a picture frame in black ribbon with the picture of a man. And that man... was one of them, too.

Followed by a younger woman holding the same thing. She was probably the wife of one of the men.

And finally, an old couple with their infant grandson, wailing. Wailing for two reasons: for food... and for the loss of his father.

The Phantom of Wildfire witnessed all of the drama. These four families were longing for their loved ones to be back with them in vain, thinking now that they are already dead after almost a week or two of searching their bodies. Shocked and full of grief, he feared that the whole world, even Byakkouen, might blame him for all these events. And the Evil Dynasty will laugh at him for backing off the mission. Seeing these families in sorrow...

_No way... _tears started to stream out of his tiger-blue eyes, _I... I don't want this... I don't even wish for this! I DON'T LIKE THIS!!! _

Finally he went back to reality as he suddenly went himself out of those hands! The hands, then, were starting to avoid him, but on what purpose?

He saw himself glowing with bursting red, his hands were blazing hot with... fire? He didn't get it at first, but realizing the dream he had jus dreamt (or is it?), "That vision..." he finally found out that it was caused by his involuntary mind-reading, "It made me open my eyes..." and not minding how in the world he did it, his kanji of benevolence glowed fiercely, ready to test his found power, "I don't wanna end up like this! For fourteen years of my entire life I'd never experienced givin' up that easy! Even in this situation!"

Then his fists became fiery hot, bursting with energy, ready to smash some dirty hands around, and as the hands started to attack him once more...

"REKKA... KEN!"

In just one fiery punch he drove one hand away! That hand shrieked with intense heat as it slowly turned into ashes!

He was stunned at the power he had due to that vision, "Wow... this is REAL!" and he started to punch the hands one by one! The hands, then, were blew away to ashes until they were no more.

He was surprised, and at the same time, grinned at himself as he actually did it. "Man, it's... AWESOME!" then spied on his katana, he eventually grabbed it and went on his way.

But as he went back to rescue the four men... it went even worse. The oni finally showed up in its true form with the men as its hostage!

-----

Toshitada's face became eager to get the oni as the painting's dark aura scattered everywhere. Byakkouen, meanwhile, trembled with anxiety since Rekka was still there along with the four men.

Taking a grip of his chained scythe, it formed a dark reddish glow on it to penetrate itself to the painting, a way to take the oni as well as the lives of five others for the sake of winning Kayura's--and Arago's--pleasure.

"RED... LIGHTNING!

But before he could throw the energy ball into the painting, a swirl of blue light is heading toward the red energy ball and successfully hit it, causing an explosion of opposing force!

Both were thrown away by the impact, but luckilly they survived it. As the light faded away, they looked around. "Who's that?" the cat asked in confusion.

"Who could ever that pest be...?" Toshitada snorted.

"I sense something..." Byakkouen in serious tone. Sensing it again, he became stunned. "My gosh... This can't be... I'm actually sensing..."

"...a DIFFUSED POWER!"

-----

_(Hah, hah... sorry again for the delay! Anyway, wait for Episode Seventeen to come up! I'm REALLY sorry! But please R&R anyway! Thanks a lot in bearing with me!)_


	18. Episode Seventeen: The Blue Archer

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Seventeen: THE BLUE ARCHER**

Looking in one direction, they saw a mysterious, shadowy figure in folded jacket of an unknown color, floating behind the silvery-blue full moon, holding something. It looks like a golden bow shimmering when its luster has been penetrated by the moonlight.

"Who could that be...?" Toshitada wondered.

_I could never be wrong, _Byakkouen's mind spoke, _I can sense a diffusion from here... and it comes from that mysterious person!_

"You, troublemaker!" as Toshitada's forehead gave a pale yellow glow and his scythe emitted another energy ball to aim at the floating figure!

But everything is so fast, that when Toshitada was about to make a attack, he was pushed by an unknown force and was bumped in the wall!

The cat watched everything in amazement, remembering about what just happened. _He even didn't have a chance to attack him... when he was about to attack him, he was pushed by an invisible force! It means..._

It made Toshitada even furious. But in his face, like Byakkouen, he found out that a diffusion is within the said person. _I know that boy... I couldn't believe that he will betray us after so long..._

Furious, he made another energy ball that will surely knock the boy out. But the mysterious figure got ready by aiming his golden arrow towards the incoming energy ball. Its tip created a ball of swirling blue energy, sucking the air pressure into it, and as he released it, the arrow became one with the energy ball.

The red energy ball went through the window to meet the opposing force. But as the two forces collided, it seems that they are pushing at each other.

Meanwhile the painting's aura started to glow more intense, as Byakkouen set his eyes on the nearing trouble. "Oh no... Rekka..."

The mysterious archer saw it right away. He had his bow and arrow ready... to aim at the painting! As Toshitada saw him, he was about to stop him but an idea came in his mind. "My... It seems that you didn't betray us after all... Go ahead, boy. Do it!"

The cat's sense of trouble worked as he saw the archer about to hit the painting. _What is he doing??? He didn't know that someone's inside there yet!_

"That's it, boy!" Toshitada laughed insanely, "Do it NOW!!!"

And what the cat has been frightened for... the mysterious archer released his second arrow and at the same time the opposing light forces finally expolded, thus made Toshitada flew away, back inside the hall.

The arrow pushed itself into the painting and disappeared, leaving the painting lifeless.

"What... happened..." the cat wondered worrilly. But as he remembered what the archer had done, "Oh, no... what happened to the oni inside...?" he looked at the painting. But it looks like it was tamed by the blue light. Feared that something worse might happen to the five others, he went almost in tears as he shouted...

"RYO!!!!"

But as for the mysterious archer boy, from above, he sensed that something was wrong with what he did...

-----

Phantom Rekka was shocked at the oni's true form: truly a thousand-handed hag holding, strangely, different art materials. "H-he-hey..." he tried to talk to the monster, "I'm not that good to be yer model... Sorry, lady, but please get yer claws off them, will ya?"

But instead of listening, the oni attacked him using the art materials as its weapons, started by razor-sharp pens, and charged at him! But he managed to avoid them using his sword. The oni tried again using different art medium and attacked him. The water colors spurted against him but luckilly he avioded it again.

"Lady, pink's not MY type!" since it used pink water color. But something on it made Rekka shocked, that the water colors were actually...

"...Acid?"

He saw the water color sizzled as it hit the darkness, releasing a very foul smell."Pheee-yoo!" he covered his nose, "That sure stinks to death!"

The oni attacked again, and this time no one could stop it, now that it has the four men as hostage. This made him pissed off. "Okay, lady! No more huntin'! Just let 'em go and just take me instead!"

The men became speechless. However, the oni's face is still the same. Actually, it grinnedwhen it heard him about the trade, "They didn't do nothin' 'gainst ya! Why ya still hafta do this? Oh yeah, I forgot, you're 100EVIL, that's why! Because you don't have a heart to listen to a human like me! But these people...They have families waitin' for them... Oh, come ON! Let the hell go of 'em, will ya?"

When the men heard about the trade, one of them even tried to oppose his offer, "Are ya nuts? Why do ya hafta sacrifice yerself fo' nothin'? Ya don't need to do this hell thing!"

"He's right!" another agreed, "Save yerself, boy! We'll befine!"

"Just tell our wives that we're happy that we have them even in our last breath..." another said.

Upon hearing their pleas, Rekka became anxious at the men, "You're more nuts than this oni! If I left ya here, It'll be my guilt! No way, man! I don't wanna see ya like this! We'll go outta here TOGETHER! Hear that?"

The last victim just smiled faintly. "Thank you, boy..." his voice became hoarse, "At least youtaught us something thatwe never possessed in our lives... And we owe it all to you... Whoever you are..."

"But..."

"Save yerself, boy!" one man shouted, "Don't worry 'bout us! Think of yerself! You're still too young to die, I know! Unlike us here!"

"No way!" Rekka protested, "Don't make me waste my time here! What's my purpose here, anyway? To save ya, right?"

"Go, boy!" another begged, "We're beggin' ya!"

"No, I won't!"

"Please..."

"But..."

Later the oni charged Rekka without any warning, thinking that it was already left out because of that 'stupid' trade. He was pushed by one of the hands, and two pairs of hands grabbed both is hands and feet. He dropped his katana unintentionally due to its tight grip. One razor-sharp pen aimed at his heart, about to shatter it! The four men couldn't look at what will happen to the poor, raven-haired Samurai Phantom.

_Man... _he closed his eyes tightly, _This is it... I'm done..._

He was about to confess all his sins to Buddha, but...

A swirl of blue ray is fast approaching, and it's heading towards the oni. The five, especially Rekka, turned around as he saw the blue light heading towards them.

"What's that???"

But before he could react more, the blue light had already penetrated the oni's body thus made it jerked hysterically. It dropped the four men and released him unintentionally as it still wretched with pain.

While Rekka just went speechless as he saw the light that almost hopelessly saved him from near end...

"Whatta..."

Meanwhile the four men, though still couldn't believe what happened, rejoiced a little now that they were free... for now. One of them even managed to find something that will lead them to their final escape.

"Hey, look!", it is the last victim who saw it, "Light! There's a hole there!"

"Where?" they asked. As they followed their comrade's eyes, they saw a little hole only a meter or so away from them. A little light was seen in the darkness. It was the hole that the blue light left just seconds ago.

"It means..."

"Oh, ma' Lord... WE'RE SAFE!"

"IT'S THE EXIT!"

"I can't believe it..." with tears almost streamed in his eyes, "We can now escape..."

Meanwhile Rekka remained speechless. He even thought that the blue light that just came to save them gave more hope as it left a hole big enough for them to pass through. _Man... dunno how'd that happened... who made that thing, anyway... No way, if Kitty did this..._

Unknowingly, the four men were about to approach the said hole to escape. He only noticed them when he heard one of them calling him.

"Hey, kid! Don't tell me you're not goin'!"

"W-what?" as he saw the men starting to escape, "H-he-HEY! Wait for me!" he grabbed his katana and followed them, leaving the oni still in crisis.

-----

Byakkouen was shock on what the mysterious archer had done. He didn't mind Toshitada almost gone crazy laughing. Meanwhile the archer sensed something wrong, as he went inside the hall floating still. The two turned around as he saw him revealed his appearance even for a little: He was wearing a black folded jacket with blue tank top inside, the black denim pants higlighted in blue matches his jacket, as well as his peculiar dark blue headband that matches his azure hair. He was also wearing a pair of dark blue handgloves and a pair of shades to mask his mysterious face. What made the cat shock is his insignia marked on the left side ofboth his tank top and his jacket: A resemblance of an arrow pointing upwards with three golden rays underneath it. This made him convince...

...That he is also, like Rekka, a Samurai Phantom.

But the thing that made him upset is that he hit his arrow straight to the painting that leaves to Rekka's and the others' 'untimely death'. He scolded the archer almost in tears...

"Why did you do that? You didn't care even your fellow bearer of the diffusion is still there? How could you? Who ARE you, anyway?"

But the archer just stared at him for an answer, thus made the cat pissed off.

While Toshitada stopped laughing and decided to save it to congratulate his 'comrade'. "Well done, boy," as he clapped softly as his appreciation, "Even I didn't guessed what you will do that time, I knew it... You never betrayed us..."

But the same stare Toshitada got form him. Worse, it is much scarier than he did to the cat. And for a proof, using only his mind, he was able tothrow him away from his sight!

Another event that made Byakkouen breathless. And Toshitada... a little shocked.

"So I was wrong, after all..." he said with a grin while trying to get up, "So then... what's your business here? Getting all the onis as your own? Don't you ever realized that this job is only for grown-ups and you still have no enough power to control them all?"

He didn't answer.

He just went close to the painting with an anguish face, predicting that something will happen in the painting. Byakkouen didn't get it, but what he only knew that he is waiting for something to happen.

And the redhaired former priest didn't get even a single action from him. "You are still stubborn, I see..." as he tries to get closer to him, "Maybe you need a little help from the expert here..."

The archer laid his hand on the painting, sensing something. And as expected, he sensed a powerful aura about to come out. And with a flash, he suddenly went away a few steps from the painting.

Byakkouen finally gotit_.This means... Rekka... he's SAFE... as well as the others... but how?_

Until a flash of light came out of the painting, thus made the others covered themselves due to so much light entering the hall!

-----

_(Whew! Kei, onward to Episode Eighteen! By the way, SALAMAT PO ULIT (thank you again) to**: darkblade507 **for another review! You think this is cool? YAY! Also I appreciate your tip. I think I'll try that. THANKS A LOT! And PLEEEEEEEEESSSSSEEE, people, keep on R&R, kei? THANKS!!!!!!)_


	19. Episode Eighteen: The First Victory

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Episode Eighteen: THE FIRST VICTORY**

A flash of red light surprised the three remaining in the hall. They covered their eyes (except for the mysterious archer who was wearing shades, what a wise way...) for protection. As soon as they used themselves in the light, they finally managed to open itbut what they saw in the painting made Byakkouen meowed with glee, Toshitada furious, and the archer a bit emotionless.

"REKKA!"

Finally, after minutes of his tension, Phantom Rekka managed to get out of the first oni's realm--together with the three men who were lost for weeks! But because of too much exposure to terror and unexplainable phenomena, these three were unconcious the moment they had reached the exit.

...Three men?

Byakkouen ran to him with excitement, "Rekka!" he called, "I thought you were dead!"

"DEAD???" Rekka exclaimed unbelievably, "C'mon, Kitty! If I'm dead, you'll never touch me like this! Of course, man, I AM alive! See that? I'm still ALIVE, thank heavens..."

"But STILL you must not do that ever again! You made me worry!"

"So YOU miss me!"

"DUH???"

Then looking at his surrounding, he tried to get up, "Hey, Kitty... can you tell me what happen'd here?"

Then seeing at the two mysterious people: Toshitada and the young archer, he came with a puzzled look, "Um... Kitty, who ARE these people?"

Unknown to them, the evil priest was holding his scythe at his back, clenching while emitting a high dose of dark red energy, preparing to attack him in secret.

Toshitada grinned. "What an honor to meet Byakkouen's new master! A pleasure to meet you..."

Rekka couldn't get what he was trying to say. But the cat felt that the priest will surely get his hands on him.

And Toshitada DID show his scythe filled with evil energy ready to attack him!

"H-hey..." Rekka tried to cool him down, "I-I-I did... I didn't do anythin' wrong here... I'm just..."

"Nothing to worry about, little boy..." he smiled a bit.

"Wha... What do you mean...?"

"Let's say... it's just my way to greet a comrade... Phantom Rekka..."

"REKKA, WATCH OUT!" the cat growled.

"WHAT???" Rekka, unaware of what Toshitada will do to him, panicked a bit and cannot avoid his future attack anymore. For this, Toshitada made this opportunity to finish his colleague by...

"RED...LIGHTNING!"

He threw his energy ball against the poor, bewildered Phantom of Wildfire while he cannot avoid this 'inevitable' night of his life!

"RYO! GET OUT OF THERE!!!"

But then the young archer prepared his attack as well to Toshitada's Red Lightning--using his golden bow aiming unthinkably on the approaching energy ball...

And it became a success!

The energy arrow skewed itself on the energy ball, creating a special barrier to trap the opposing energy. As soon as it went inside the blue sphere created by the archer's arrow, it created an anti-spilling effect that will prevent the energy ball from getting out, as well as sucking its energy from it until it dies out.

_It can't be... _Toshitada turned cross.

While it was happening, Rekka noticed the three unconcious men, he smiled a bit for finally these men will be able to be with their families once again. But to his surprise, he wondered...

"Hey... why is it that they're only THREE of 'em left?"

He looked closely at the three. He peeked at their faces to recognize them (surely though they were only together for minutes, at least he had already recognized a little of their faces...). He was stunned as he found out that the missing man is the last victim on the Oni of Art!

"DAMN IT!" he spitted off.

"Something's wrong?" Byakkouen asked.

"One of the men's still MISSIN'! Dunno how'd that happen'd!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY???"

"Darn it! I still hafta go back to save him! Damn! I told him to hold tight!"

"Hey-hey-hey! Don't blame him! It's not his fault why he's not here!"

"If it's not his fault, then whose is it?"

"HEEEEEEEELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It's the voice of the last man screaming for help!

_Oh, no... _Rekka thought with worry, so he went to the painting to see if there's still something wrong.

-----

Toshitada, seen with his kanji of loyalty glowing on his forehead, is already furious, like 'no more Mr. Nice Guy' so he poured his energy once more on his scythe with a promise... this time, to finish all who had blocked his way.

Meanwhile half of the body of the last man was already outside but still struggling for freedom until Rekka came back. "What's wrong, sir?" he asked.

"Help!!!" he cried, "Someone's trying to pull me back!"

_Damn! _Rekka's heart cursed, _That monster's still alive??? _And without hesitation, he lend his hand to the man to be able for hill to be pulled out of the painted nightmare.

And he guessed it right. Seeing the clawed hands holding the man's limbs tight, the fight is not yet over.

"Let go of him... you MAGGOTS!!!" still trying to pull the poor man harder, with all of his strength, but life is at stake.

While Toshitada swung his scythe with doubling energy ready to finish Rekka off without his knowledge! "It will be YOU who must let his hand go!!! RED... LIGHT..."

But before he finally throw his energy against him, the young archer was alerted and froze the intruder in just a stare of his shaded eyes!

"What..." he froze, he cannot move even his lips to curse the mysterious boy who did it to him. But his heart did on behalf of his lips, "You... troublemaker... let go of me..."

And the cat sighed with contentment. He went to Rekka to check out what is happening now in the painting.

-----

"Hold on tight!!!" Rekka told the man. The man, then, tried to hold tight despite of the hands holding on his feet. While struggling to escape, due to pulling that he have to move back, his right feet felt something on the floor that gave a metallic sound. Rekka turned back and was surprise to see...

"My other sword!" and he tried to pick it by his free hand. But the oni turned out to be too strong to be avoided. It pulled the man harder and his body slowly dragged away from the hall. At that time Byakkouen went to him and...

"Listen, Rekka!" he called, "This is it! With your swords, use your firepower to decrease the oni's offense and defense!"

"But how 'bout the man? I cannot leave him like this!"

"Let him go first!"

"ARE YA NUTS??? The oni will pull him back before I could do that!"

"USE YOUR COMMON SENSE, RYO! Just do it FAST!"

"But if I do that, both the paintin' and the man will be ROAST'D!"

"DON'T SAY YOU DON'T TRUST YOUR OWN POWER!"

The painting is turning into chaos. When the archer found out about Byakkouen's plan, he immediately left the psycho-stucked Toshitada to STOP them. On what puropse?

Rekka, still thinking about the man and the painting, finally agreed, "Yeah, right..." although he was still worrying about what will happen.

So he let go of the man's hand first. "Don't worry, sir..." he told the man, "This might get ya outta there..."

The man agreed yet scared of what he will do.

Seeing the Phantom of Wildfire wielding his twin katanas ready, the archer immediately aimed his arrow towards him. Whatever the reason, it's in the archer's business.

Unluckilly for him, Byakkouen saw him starting to hit Rekka with his arrow! _What's he doing this time? I don't get it! What is his purpose that he helped Rekka but in the end he will just stop him? Is he really a ally or an enemy? What does Toshitada mean that he 'betrayed' them? I'm so confused..._

Then, "REKKA! Do it NOW!!!"

"Alright, alright!" he replied, "Don't hurry too much, man!"

Now having his katanas with him, their blades were shown brightly red as he concentrated his powers over the katanas, and his heart and mind focused on the oni only and being careful not to burn the man. While the man is still begging for help and theclawed hands were still there grasping him tight. As soon as he is ready, the blades' aura changed into bursting fire!

"Let him go..." and with one full blow...

"SOU... EN... ZAN!!!"

He made a double strike to the oni, and created two fiery lines and aimed at the dark tunnel. Successfully, the oni shrieked with intense heat. The hands once grasping the man strongly were slowly withdrew and pulled back to the tunnel, that gives the man a chance to get out at last. The tunnel was still left open, only that it was already burning.

Toshitada, still frozen, saw what happened and ground his teeth with rage, "No..." it seems that he had failed his first mission.

The archer, too, was not happy about the situation. So he decided to keep his golden bow first to make another tactic to stop him, before he will finally put the oni to it's slumber in the silver box.

The oni inside continued to burn and Rekka started to panic again! "It's no good, man!" he cried, "The paintin' will be son turn into dust! See, Kitty! I told ya! I..."

"THE PAINTING'S STILL SAFE, MORON!"

He went calm.

"Now, listen before youpanic: Conjoin your swords tomake a single medium to seal the oni and put itimmediately in the silver box! Clear enough?"

"C-clear!"

The mysterious young archer caught Rekka who is about to seal the oni and attempted to go near them. Meanwhile, by means of sorcery, Phantom Rekka joined the ends on the katanas' handles together, creating a single weapon as a special medium or a sealer against the oni. He had the silver box readily open. Now he is ready to seal it.

Seeing the silver box, the archer attempted to get it, but it seems that it's too late for him.

"I'm ready to burn!" and wielded his special weapon now emitting a shining white light enough to seal the oni. And had his incantation...

"The museum's closed, oni... RETURN TO WHERE YOU MUST BELONG... NOW!!!"

He thrusted the tip of the sword to the burning oni and created a somewhat vacuum to suck the oni out. After it was sucked, he transferred the oni into the silver box with the medium. The first balde end served as atube to get the oni and the second blade end is where he will thrust it in the silver box until the last drop of it and sealed it immediately with the spiritual paper.

At first the box was moving wildly. It seems that the oni inside is still struggling itself to be free. But the holy aura from the kanji paper prevented it from escaping again. Tired from moving hysterically, the box ceased its movement at last.

This means...

"We've... done it?" Rekka still cannot believe himself. He looked at the painting: it wasn't destroyed at all, looked like nothing was happened in it. The spell was broken!

And the man, who just became unconscious after that unbelievable struggle is already safe.

"WE REALLY DID IT!" and he jumped with joy! Amidst the silence of the hall... and his wounds that he had gotten during his encounter with the oni.

But someone joined in.

"Shout till you can, Phantom Rekka..." Toshitada was still there, standing. The freezing effect on him was no more. So was the mysterious archer, who just left unnoticeably after Rekka's first sucess.

For this, Rekka became pissed off. Realizing the one tho attempted to attack him by surprise (but interfered by the power of the mysterious archer), he wielded his conjoined katanas and aimed against him, seemed that he wanted to challenge him to a fight. "So you're the one who wanted to kill me. Man, how rude! Ya even attempt to kick a poor cat out! I won't allow it! In the name of Wildfire, fight me!"

But, "I decline."

Though surprised, "Frightened, eh?"

"Not really" Toshitada answered frankly, "It's just that I'm concerned of your wounds, that's all. It seems that you almost lost much blood and yet you still have the strength to challenge me? What a daring young man you are..."

"What???" upon hearing his refusal and explanation, he suddenly felt intense pain on his whole body. So intense that he almost collapsed!

"Ryo!" Byakkouen called him by his real name and rushed towards him, "Ryo, are you okay?"

Toshitada gave an insulting smile on the two, "I admit that he has the guts. But it will be a very long way to use his powers that implated on him perfectly. I would suggest, Byakkouen, that you give him proper training so the next time that we meet again, he won't be that careless..."

Byakkouen snorted, "Rekka chose Ryo because it believed that he can handle it! And surely he will be greater than you thought! Yes, I will train him as hard as I could and I'll assure you that he can already do it without messing up!"

"We'll see about that, then..." as he about to leave with _dignity, _Byakkouen picked up another question on him.

"By the way... how did you manage to have the diffusion of Cruelty?"

Rekka, recovering from his still-fresh wounds, was surprised at the cat's question. "Hey, Kitty..." he called, "Ya mean THIS man also has a diffusion?"

The cat lowered his head, "...Yes..."

"AndTHAT isan advantage to my part" Toshitada said with a snort, "You see, evenme I don't know how and why, but that's not my problem anymore. As long as I have this unlimited source, I can still hone it to make it stronger. And of course, in order for me NOT to fail again..."

And his kanji glowed on his forehead. Rekka went blank.

"His kanji is the first Bushido virtue", Byakkouen explained, "Chu, or Loyalty, holding the spirit of Oni, or Cruelty. He now has the power to destroy any lifeforms and everything on his way. His mental ability is hypnosis, an ability to control one's mind, body and spirit against the victim's will..."

"...That makes him quite dangerous..." Rekka concluded.

Toshitada was now ready to leave. "I believe it's not yet over. Listen to what I will say to you, Phantom Rekka: There are still more onis to be sealed. Don't be easy on your victory tonight. And who knows, that mysterious chancetaker might never come back to save you again as he did tonight..."

"Heh! I know 'bout that! Ya don't hafta remind me!"

"And Byakkouen... just a little reminder: My name is not Koma Toshitada anymore. I'm not already the one you once knew and played with you..."

The cat just looked at him expressionless.

He turned back, "I am already working for the Dynasty's Oni-Retrieving Force... I am... Masho Phantom, Shuten Doji."

"Shuten... Doji..." Rekka repeated Toshitada's new name to remember it.

"This is what I called fate..." and as a final greeting, "See you around... Kitty..."

As he disappeared in the darkness, the cat's wildly brown eyes suddenly became cloudy and a tear fell off to his slowy cheeks.

-----

_(AAAAGGHH!!! I didn't notice the typographical errors I made in some episodes! If you noticed it, I'm really-really-really (100x) to the max SORRY!!! I was in a hurry, then... Anyway, watch out for the final episode, I repeat, FINAL EPISODE to this chapter! The Epilogue is up next! So please continue to R&R! Thanks a lot!!! And I'M SORRY again!!!)_


	20. Epilogue: It's Not A Dream!

(_**Disclaimer: **I do not own YST nor RW, they are owned by Sunrise. Neither do I own the characters of the original series.)_

_(**Author's Notes: **Please, DON'T BLAME ME if some of the details are insufficient, since I had never seen the entire series before. I'm just fascinated over the series, that's why. Some of the characters added are of my own and not related to other anime, in short, ORIGINAL. So please, enjoy reading and review it! This is my first taste of writing fanfiction, and I'm not too good at English, so please BEAR WITH ME...)_

**SAMURAI PHANTOM REKKA: CHAPTER ONE**

**Epilogue: IT'S NOT A DREAM!**

Phantom Rekka was still feeling pain in his body after his dreaded first encounter, "Man... I'm sure I'll be wakin' up in the hospital if this turn worse..."

But there is no need for him to go to the hospital seriously. He felt that someone is licking some of his wounds (yuck!) in his arms and noticed that it was Byakkouen's doing. Puzzled (and ill-stricken) by what he was doing, he felt that the pain starts to subside a bit. He then realized that, upon seeing his open wounds starting to close slowly, he was healing him.

"Um... Kitty" he tried to talk to him while doing his job, "Sorry to say this, but... What you're doin' is NOT sanitizin' at all..."

"Just shut up and let me do this," he snorted and he continued along.

For this, Rekka decided to keep quiet while the cat is healing him, and, at the same time, scolding him, "You're really an airhead!" Byakkouen still managed to scold him for his careless decision, "What you just did is actually an act of FOOLISHNESS!"

"And what's wrong with that?"

"What's WRONG? You almost lost your life because of what you did! For that I almost wate my tears on you..."

"Man..." he turned a little surprised on what the cat just said to him, "I dunno that cats do ACTUALLY cry..."

"There's no room for your jokes at this moment, Ryo!" his vioce gradually turned into a sober.

"'Kay, fine! I'm sorry! I'll just shut up..."

And the cat continued to heal him, "You should be thankful that I have this ability though it has its limitation--it will just NOT actually heal you but I'm jus stopping the blood to clot..."

"Heh, ya sure are that powerful, aren't ya, Kitty?"

By then, Byakkouen stopped licking his wounds.

Rekka wondered. "Byakkouen? Kitty? Anythin' wrong?"

The cat began to sniff its own tears.

Rekka became worried. "Kitty?" he didn't respond, "Kitty, ya ok, man?" he picked up Byakkouen. To his surprise, he saw him--in tears.

So what he just said turned TRUE, after all.

"K-Kitty?" he wondered, "W-what..."

The cat continued to cry, "Among them... only Toshitada... calls me Kitty... He always teases me... It's not very usual... for a priest like him..."

Upon hearing his testimonial, Rekka suddenly became silent.

He then realized the reason why Byakkouen knows Shuten Doji very much. That Shuten Doji was once an ordinary priest working for Kaos. Ashamed of what he did, he lowered his head, and, "I... I'm sorry, Kit--ah, I mean, Byakkouen... I... I dunno 'bout that... Crap! I..."

The cat jus purred unto him. "It's ok... I know you didn't mean it in the first place... Besides, when you call me Kitty for the first time after you saved me... I thought once that you're Toshitada... or being possessed by Toshitada's spirit, that's why I became fond of you aside from being the first receiver of the diffussion Rekka... Funny, isn't it?"

But it seems that it was the first time that Rekka didn't laughed. His facewas still with guilt. "Crap... Me an' my BIG mouth! I shouldn't hafta..."

But Byakkouen hushed him by licking his cheek.

"Listen," Byakkouen's sad face suddenly turned into a serious one, "Because we have successfully completed our mission tonight, starting Thursday we will start with your training..."

"WHAT??? TRAININ'??????"

"Hey... I didn't say tomorrow already..."

"I know that! But... do I really hafta...?"

"Yes. Since you don't have enough skills yat to manipulate your powers, you must improve your ninja skills, at least you can use that during nighttime missions..."

"Hey, I exercise ev'ry mornin' and I don't remember that I miss one mornin' without exercisin'!"

"It's not yet enough! In this training you will use your ACTUAL subpowers in order for you to explore yourself in it!"

"And WHAT IF someone might see me doin' that???"

"Well... It's YOUR problem!"

"WHAT???"

But due to so much surprise, Rekka felt his body turning heavier, he slumped down!

"Ouch..." he uttered.

"But first, you have to rest for a full day since you have been dumped too much by the oni! You have no choice but to be ABSENT from school!"

"And now you don't want me to go to school??? You're sooooo cruel! We have a test in English tomorrow! That'll be my only chance to pass in that darn subject!"

"What do you want: go to school OR to be paralyzed FOREVER?"

For that, he just smooched his face in the floor. "Yeah, sure..."

Later the town clock started to ring its bell, DING-DONG-DING-DONG.... A sign that it's already one in the morning.

Rekka tried to stand up with Byakkouen in his hand. "Wow... I can't believe it's been a hour ago, that's fast... Okay, Kitty, time to go home..."

"DON'T CALL ME KIT--" Rekka immediately covered the cat's mouth.

"Shut up yer mouth, will ya?" he scolded with a soft voice, "Ya might wake them up!" pointing to the four unconscious men, "That'll be hard for us!"

Both left the quiet museum, leaving the four men as if nothing happened in the past few weeks. Just then, the guard on-duty came with a flashlight and to his surprise, he saw the four controversial museum personnel lying on the floor unconcious. Above them is the celebrated painting which its spell has been finally broken by an unknown magical guardian at night and his cat companion. When he noticed the painting, to his surpise that there were no faces in the river anymore, jus a plain, serene riverwhere the beautiful maiden had just bathed. Seeing the four men on the floor, he pondered deeply if the painting surely has a deep connection between it and the men. He turned around, but everything is seemed to be normal now. Even the window which the two had entered into a while ago is tightly shut.

-----

Thursday afternoon.

It has been two days after Ryo's first mission. He clearly remembered what happened, although he doesn't want to remember it anymore for it will make his headache worse. After that mission, he immediately turned back into his normal self as soon as he had reached home, as Byakkouen taught him to do so. And that he immediatelyplunged into bed without taking a night bath nor changing his sleeping clothes. His snores just proved that he's so tired and exhausted for his first successful mission. But Byakkouen, the cat, cannot sleep after that incident, despite that he wanted to sleep as soundly as his new master. Still he was thinking at that time about Toshitada, now known as Shuten Doji, master of the diffussion Oni or Cruelty, bestowed by the Bushido kanji of Chu, loyalty. He was also thinking about the mysterious young warrior that whom he was not so sure whether he is a friend or a foe. He is, also, a Dynasty enemy whose mission is to get all the onis, if he's not mistaken. But what confuses him is that the mysterious boy attempted to attack Ryo at that time. He cannot get the point at that moment, so he decided to put it to sleep, though he's not yet sleepy at all.

And the following day, though unnoticed (or maybe not), Ryo didn't go to school because of bodyache he attained from his first mission. He almost got a fever because of exhaustion! He slept the whole day (almost) eating a little. Unfortunately, as he expected, he didn't attend his English test which must be his salvation to his failing grade on that subject. The next day he did go to school, and lucky for him Luna gave him the lecture from yesterday. To his surprise when she told him that the test was postponed since the teacher's alibi is because the questionshe madefor the test were been misplaced and he had no choice but to rewrite it all over again. The whole class rejoiced for that (and made Ryo more pissed off!) but a formal discussion was held instead. His friends asked him a lot like how was he, is he already fine, why is it that he's absent for two days now, etc, etc, etc. But all he could answer was "Well, man... I'm ok, nothin' to worry..." thinking that he cannot bare everything to them anymore or they might know that he is working as a phantom not to steal anything, but to retrieve the onisto their respective place. In short, from now on he must keep his identity in secret, so as to his mental ability, or the whole world will keep an eye on him. You know what I mean

And that Thursday afternoon will make Ryo suffer more. The whole morning, he thought, will be normal. But back in the house, an adorable white little striped cat is waiting for him, but not to greet him "Welcome Home!". Instead...

"You ARE late for almost an hour now!" Byakkouen growled.

"H-hey..." Ryo with a puzzled look, "Ya mean you've waited here for hours? What's it this time? Another oni or somethin'? Fine, I've somethin' to chow on..." and he took two pieces of rice cakes from his bag, "Here, help yerself..."

"It's not the food I've been waiting!"

Taking one from the plastic bag, "Then whatta ya waitin' for?"

"YOU, of course!"

"What for?"

"Darn it... Don't you remember??? You suppose to have a training TODAY!"

He went more emotionless. "Trainin'...? For what???"

"DON'T TELL ME YOU HAVE ALREADY FORGOTTEN! YOU ARE ALREADY A SAMURAI PHANTOM, RYO! A SAMURAI PHANTOM, HEAR THAT???"

"HEY, KITTY, YA DON'T HAFTA SHOUT AT ME LIKE THAT! I'M NOT THAT DEAF!!!"

"I'm just reminding you, that's all..."

"Reminding me what?"

"That THIS IS NOT A DREAM, silly! It's the reality of life and you have to accept it!"

"Heh..." and he plunged into the couch, "I know that, Kitty! Ya don't hafta remind me that ev'rythin' that's happenin' since yesterday is not a dream at all! I even pinced myself this mornin'!"

"Good that you have realized already!"

"So?"

The cat grumbled with impatience, "So WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? Christmas Day??? It's still September, you know??? Come on, move out! Or I'll eat your dinner!"

He stood up immediately, "That's unfair! I didn't have lunch yet!"

"Well, it's YOUR problem, not mine! So move out!"

"Damn..." he grumbled, "Yes, sir..."

"And do it FAST!"

"Alright!!!"

And the training of Ryo Sanada as the appointed Phantom of Wildfire has begun.

So that was it: The mystery of Tsukabashi Kohei's last masterpiece, "The Goddess of the River", has been successfully sealed. And Ryo and Byakkouen have managed to capture the first oni--The Oni of Art. There are still 99 onis on the loose, waiting for their turn to be awakened and to cause a lot of trouble to people. The Evil Dynasty, under the leadership of Kayura, is also trying their guts to retrieve all of them to awake Arago again, and they will do anything for it.

But a mystery has marked Ryo's consciousness: Who is that mysterious being who helped them and at the same time attempted to attack them? The one with a golden bow and a quiver of energy arrows as its weapon against the forces of the Evil Dynasty? Was he also a retriever? To which side is he working to? What does Byakkouen exactly mean that there is a diffusion on the said being? And what does Shuten Doji meanthat he 'betrayed' them?It is clear that he is, like Ryo, a Samurai Phantom. But there is also a possibility that he can be a Masho Phantom like Shuten Doji. But the big question is: Who is this young archer?

Right now Ryo and Byakkouen are preparing for the next mission to come, onwhich oni will attack next and where it will take place. And today, Ryo will undergo intense training with thediffusion of Rekka given to him unanimously.Though hard, he have to, for it is the duty of a Samurai Phantom to seal the onis before Arago's revival. Not just him, as Byakkouen said, for there are six morediffusions to be discovered, and, hopefully, they can make them as their allies. They hope that the still-to-be-discovered diffusions will not be likeShuten Doji, who had been allied, unexpectedly, with evil. The cat believed that everything will end well so soon and everything will be back to normal. The mysteries and the battle against evil--all of these, is just yet to beginning of Ryo's new life and identity as the Mystic Retriever of the Night...

**...Samurai Phantom Rekka.**

_to be continued_

-----

**Next Chapter: HANA JUNIOR HIGH'S INVISIBLE THIEF**

_Hana Junior High is in trouble! And one of Ryo's classmates is being suspected in stealing the personal properties of the students--and even teachers! Byakkouen, obviously, suspected that an oni is behind this. But what is its purpose? Will the mysterious Blue Archer appear again? Is the oni Ryo's classmate himself?_

_(CONSUMMATUM EST (It Is Done)! Hah-hah... Anyway, this is it! First chapter complete! By the way, acknowlegement is given__to **Theria's Yoroiden Temple, , **and** Neither Realm** for some information I got to make this possible. To my reviewers, SALAMAT PO NG MARAMI for your support and understanding. And for those who still didn't read it, YOU'RE STILL WELCOME! Reviews are still welcome! Please continue to R&R my FIRST-EVER FANFIC I'VE WRITTEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! Duck! THANKS A LOT! MWAAAHHH!!!)_


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